Norval Morrisseau a.k.a. Copper Thunderbird

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Shaman-Visionary-Storyteller-Artist
- Anishinaabe/Canadian Painter-


© 2008 by Vanessa Liston

"My art speaks and will continue to speak, transcending barriers of nationality, language and other forces that may be divisive, fortifying the greatness of the spirit that has always been the foundation of the Ojibwa people."

Norval Morrisseau


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* To view all "You Tube" presentations on the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG click HERE.

>>> Reference post:

"Circle of Four", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau - this painting appearing in the above "You Tube" presentation (see video @ 6:30) was approved as an authentic by Norval Morrisseau /member 'Norval' (1) at www.morrisseau.com/ > click HERE or HERE [screen capture] which can be found at the Senate of Canada website (click HERE). The same painting is called an "Inferior Counterfit Morrisseau' by Ritchie 'Stardreamer' Sinclair > click HERE or HERE [screen capture].

To learn more about Ritchie 'Stardreamer' Sinclair and his dishonest & disrespectful behaviour click HERE.

(1) > 'Norval' - member at www.morrisseau.com: Profile Type: Artist; Country: Canada; City: Beardmore; Profile status: Active; Status: Offline > click HERE or HERE [screen capture].
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Fête du Canada 2009

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- Akina Shirt sings 'O Canada' in Nēhiyawēwin (Cree)
--/Performed @ NHL Game, Calgary, Alberta in 2007/
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By meyasin
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Ô Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

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* To view all "You Tube" presentations on the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG click HERE.-

"Respect for the Past - Strength for the Future"

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Norval Morrisseau a.k.a. Copper Thunderbird*
Shaman-Visionary-Storyteller-Artist
*Anishinaabe Painter
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"THERE ARE MORE THAN 40,000 UNIQUE VISITORS IN THE PAST 15 1/2 MONTHS.
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THANK YOU ALL FOR VISITING THIS BLOG!"
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Spirit Walker
/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/
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Childlike Simplicity XIV

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- 1980's PERIOD
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© 1980s Norval Morrisseau
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"The Shaman Artist
Wishes to express to us
Through
The art form
That we are all
Like children
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Our childlike simplicity
With dignity and sweet humility
We view
One environment
and
Remind us of the Pure Spirit
Expressing itself upon ourselves."
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Norval Morrisseau, 1983
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* The painting in this post: "Title not known", © c. 1980s Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

NORVAL MORRISSEAU UNLIMITED

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Catalogue Raisonné For The Limited Editions
/The Scientific Blog Project/
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/Click on image to enter the project/
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About the project & Mission
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Background
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For all the original paintings and drawings, the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society (NMHS) has accepted the task (in 2005) to work on a catalogue raisonné, documenting every known work created by the artist. The large amount of - unrecorded - Norval Morrisseau’s originals will understandably lead to years of research and investigation by the NMHS.
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Documenting the original signed limited edition silkscreens/serigraphs and lithographs are not part of their mission. Therefore this project will deal with all original signed limited editions, with the mission statement as written below.
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If you own a Norval Morrisseau painting and would like to document it, contact the NMHS, contact the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society at norvalmorrisseauheritage@gmail.com.
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If you own a piece of a Norval Morrisseau limited edition, you can contribute in this blog research project.
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Mission Statement
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This project has the mission to document all original signed limited editions of Norval Morrisseau. Norval Morrisseau Unlimited uses an on-line blog for the following reasons:
- to stimulate owners of a piece, to contribute with factual information;
- to support the art market as soon as possible, not out waiting the finalization of the project.
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Contribute to the research!
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If you have a limited edition of Norval Morrisseau, you can help to add factual information, which are still missing in the on-line Catalogue Raisonné. Search for the edition, in which you own a piece, in the “list (so far)”, look at the information and:
- confirm (or unconfirm) the written information (the more confirmations, the more reliable the information);
- send the unknown information.
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Contribute by sending your information to morrisseau.unlimited@gmail.com or by adding a comment (with the information) to a posting, by clicking on the posting title of your edition. It does not matter if a posting is old, you can always respond. See the on-line blog as a database, in which information will continuous be added.
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Content
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All information mentioned are factual registered by one ore more sources. For the codification of the sources and the reliability, see ‘codification’.
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The limited editions will be numbered. For the codification of the numbering, see ‘codification‘.
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For the first year, after the launch of this project, regular there will be new posting of a known limited edition.
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Blog master’s personal note
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I am really fond of limited editions and I love the art of Norval Morrisseau. The combination is magical, to me. I discovered his art in the beginning of 2000 and it was the start of a special journey.
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During these last 9 years I followed his art and collected almost scientifically al kind of information. This was not as easy as I expected for a well known and respected Canadian artist. However all my collected information of limited editions is the basis of this project “Catalogue Raisonné for the Limited Editions’.
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I hope all owners will contribute to finalise this non-commercial project and that everyone will enjoy this site during the project.
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Warm regards,
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Frank Kortstee, 05/24/2009
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* Blog Master's comment: I would like you to know that I am in no way associated with Mr. Frank Kortstee and his NORVAL MORRISSEAU UNLIMITED blog but I do support and encourage his project! Miigwech, Spirit Walker.

National Aboriginal Day 2009/Father's Day 2009

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Share in the Celebration!

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"Father and Son", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau

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On June 21st, Canadians from all walks of life are invited to participate in the many National Aboriginal Day events that will be taking place from coast to coast.

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June 21st kick starts the 11 days to Celebrate Canada! Which includes National Aboriginal Day (June 21), Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24), Multiculturalism Day (June 27) and concluding with Canada Day (July 1)!

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For more information, please visit the 2009 Events page.

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Miigwech,

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Spirit Walker

/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/

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* The painting in this post: "Father and Son" , acrylic on canvas, 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

National Aboriginal Day 2009

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~ Message from the Honourable Chuck Strahl -
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As Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, I invite all Canadians to join in National Aboriginal Day celebrations. This day is an opportunity for Aboriginal groups to showcase and share their diverse cultural heritage. And it is an opportunity for all Canadians to learn about the traditions and outstanding contributions of Aboriginal peoples across this country. National Aboriginal Day* is now firmly planted within the cultural landscape of Canada.
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I encourage all Canadians to find out what events and activities are taking place in their communities and take the opportunity to participate. For more information, please visit the 2009 Events page.
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The Honourable Chuck Strahl - Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians-
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* - June 21st
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~ Message from the Honourable Chuck Strahl transferred from the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada website.

Thunder Bay's Norval Morrisseau vs. Jack Pollock's Norval Morrisseau (Part II)

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~ Exclusive Report ~

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>>> NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG & Protecting the Legacy of Norval Morrisseau continues...

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- - "Thunder Spirit, acrylic on canvas, 56"x31", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau /Click on image to Enlarge/-

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"Thunder Spirit, /signature detail/, 56"x31", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau /Click on image to Enlarge/

Ref. Norval Morrisseau's authorized signature stamp from limited edition hand-pulled silkscreen prints that were published exclusively for IKEA Canada, Courtesy Kinsman Robinson Galleries (click HERE for more information). /Click on image to Enlarge/

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"Thunder Spirit, /signature detail/, from print (serigraph) presented below, Edition: 78, paper size: 22.5"x15", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau, Courtesy Triple K Cooperative Inc. /Click on image to Enlarge/

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> The above image of an original Norval Morrisseau's painting was previously part of Mr. Rolf Schneider's Private Collection, (Thunder Bay, Ontario)

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"Thunder Spirit", print (serigraph), Edition: 78, paper size: 22.5"x15", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau, Courtesy Triple K Cooperative Inc. /Click on image to Enlarge/

> The above presented image of an original Norval Morrisseau's print (serigraph) was originally published on page 174 of THE ART OF NORVAL MORRISSEAU ('Jack Pollock's Book') /Lister Sinclair, Jack Pollock, and Norval Morrisseau/; ISBN: 0-458-93820-3 /Toronto, Ontario: Methuen, 1979./
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>>> BLOG MASTER'S COMMENTS:

1) We can clearly see that both the painting and print were titled the same ('Thunder Spirit') and painted/printed the same year. Also, they have been executed with identical composition and colour combination. This confirms, more than once in the presentations on this blog, that Norval Morrisseau repeated many times his images. In this particular case there is possibility that painting on canvas was used by Norval Morrisseau and the Triple K Cooperative Inc. to produce the above presented print?

It is important to mention the significance of the inscription in the bottom left corner of the painting on canvas (I/1). If the paintings on canvas and/or paper were from a series of paintings that represented one piece of art Norval Morrisseau would mark it in this fashion 1-4, 2-4, 3-4, 4-4. At times he would label them as 1 OF 2, 2 OF 2. If the painting was from a series of the same theme he would mark on the back of the canvas and/or paper in Roman numerals e.g. “IV” which in this case represented painting No.4 from the series (click HERE for information about some of the other Norval Morrisseau's painting habits). Due to the fact that this is the only canvas that I saw having such an inscription on the front or back of the canvas in 10 years of Norval Morrisseau's art collecting I would consider it very rare and it could have meant that he intended it for a print production? That is an assumption that will be very difficult to prove.

This also undeniably proves that there is a connection between "Thunder Bay's Norval Morrisseau" and "Jack Pollock's Norval Morrisseau" paintings (click HERE to see both of these images side by side).

2) All of the paintings presented in "The Writing On The Wall... Norval Morrisseau Conspiracy Exposed" (click HERE) were also acquired directly from Mr. Rolf Schneider, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

3) The Thunder Bay Art Gallery holds among the other art pieces from the Helen E. Bend Collection had received in 2002 a donation of an oil painting on natural birch bark 'After Spirit of the Fourth' (Item: 02.3.1) > 24.8 cm x 26.2 cm > 1958 which was directly donated from Mr. Rolf Schnieder's Private Collection.

Also, Mr. Joseph Otavnik Family donated four paintings in 2004 to the same institution:

1) 'Untitled' [animal spirits facing inward] (Item: 04.7.1) > 73 cm x 56 cm > 1970; 2) 'Untitled' [two shaman and animal spirits in cameo] (Item: 04.7.2) > 72 cm x 85 cm > 1979; 3) Lake Trout with Eggs (Item: 04.7.3) > 114 cm x 80 cm > 1973 & 4) 'Untitled' [fish with minnows] (Item: 04.7.4) > 73 cm x 50 cm > 1976.

All of these paintings are declared authentic by Mr. Glenn Allison* who - Curator of The Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

* - Mr. Glenn Allison began his career as Research Curator at the Vancouver Art Gallery, working with Doris Shadboft from 1968-1972. His experience of more than thirty years includes management of the Bau-Xi Galleries on the west coast of Canada; Instructor of Art History for Columbia Junior College and Capilano College; instructor for the British Columbia Museums Association; instructor for the Association of Manitoba Museums; instructor for Brandon University, Manitoba; Director-Curator of the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon 1989-1999; Director Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, Waterloo 2000-2003.

>>> ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:-

Due to the fact that Mr. Rolf Schneider's name has been mentioned several times on the internet in not very respectful way I decided to 'speak up' again and defend his name and his involvment with issues in connection with authentic Norval Morrisseau's art pieces that came from his private collection at one time or another. At the same time when I originally introduced Mr. Rolf Schneider I introduced individual that was selling paintings that originated from Mr. Rolf Schneider's collection - Mr. Anthony (Tony) Martinenko; art dealer from Winnipeg, Manitoba; who is an important element in describing many of the issues involving Norval Morrisseau's art that have been offered for sale all across Canada in the past decade. He took over art dealing activities from Alan (Al) R. Swanson (08/10/1947-11/05/1998) who dealt with paintings from Mr. Rolf Schneider's collection. Another individual introduced who sold many paintings that originated from the same source was Darcy Boylan (also deceased) from Thunder Bay, Ontario.

> Mr. Anthony Martinenko was also seen selling Norval Morrisseau's paintings on 'eBay' that he acquired directly from Mr. Schneider (click HERE). -

> Mr. Rolf Schneider acquired paintings for his collection from different sources one of which was Mr. David Voss who also supplied paintings for the Kahn Auction ('Randy Potter Estate Auctions') namely to Mr. Randy Potter (co-owner/auctioneer).-

> Mr. Schneider's collection was one of the major sources of Norval Morrisseau's paintings that were supplied to different galleries all across Canada by Mr. Anthony Martinenko who supplied paintings even to Coghlan Art Studio & Gallery, Aldergrove, BC for many years (click HERE, HERE & HERE).

> Among other galleries Mr. Anthony Martinenko was supplying Norval Morrisseau's paintings to Maslak McCleod Gallery, Toronto, Ontario and Bearclaw Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta.-

> Also, my first Norval Morrisseau's painting was purchased in Winter 1999-2000 from Mr. Anthony Martinenko who acquired it from Mr. Rolf Schneider (click HERE)!

>>> INVITATION TO ALL READERS:

There are many of you who possess important valuable information such as paintings, photographs and other printed/written materials which will greatly assist our common goal. I urge you to provide this information to me for public record. Norval Morrisseau has become one of Canada's greatest all time artists and is recognized for his importance Worldwide.
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Your assistance is needed now! Your actions will greatly benefit your art as an investment and safeguard Norval Morrisseau's Legacy.
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Meegwetch,
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Spirit Walker
/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/

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>>> Reference posts:

- Thunder Bay's Norval Morrisseau vs. Jack Pollock's Norval Morrisseau (Part I) &

- Understanding Art of Norval Morrisseau (Part I).

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~ The painting on canvas in this post: "Thunder Spirit, 56"x31", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Mother Earth (Part VI)

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- Message from Mother Earth


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By shamanizing-
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"My people believe the earth to be their mother and that we are children of the earth. In spirit we are one with our environment."-
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Norval Morrisseau

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> "You Tube" presentation <-

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* To view all "You Tube" presentations on the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG click HERE

"Legends of The Great Ojibway" (Part V)

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- 1970's PERIOD
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"Legend of the Fish", 36"x64", © 1976 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/
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"My Grandfather told me once that nobody, no matter how hard they tried, could he remember all of the legends, otherwise, the whole of Northwestern Ontario would be covered in Pictographs."
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Norval Morrisseau
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Source: www.theCanadaSite.com /The Great Canadian Website/
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BLOG MASTER'S COMMENT: Even I mostly agree with the content of the website presented above there are certain opinions expressed on it that I do not support.
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* The painting in this post: "Legend of the Fish", 36"x64", © 1976 Norval Morrisseau; Acquired from the Kahn Auction, Pickering, Ontario (at later date known as 'Randy Potter Estate Auctions' - retired) ~ co-owner/auctioneer Mr. Randy Potter /Private Collection/

Great Anishinaabe/Woodland Artists (Part XI)

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James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA (b. 1954)

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"Spirit Walker", 8"x11", © James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA
/Click on image to Enlarge/
>>> The spirit walker lives within you, if you can rememeber what you did yesterday, you have the ability to walk anywhere. <<<
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ARTIST STATEMENT

The symbols within Mishibinijima's artwork are ancient; born in 1954, he began to paint in 1969, in his homeland of Manitoulin Island, the worlds largest freshwater island located in northern Lake Huron.

Manitoulin Island had become a catalyst for the revitalization of the Anishinabe culture in the 1960's revitalization movement. He returned to the pictographs and sacred scrolls because, the artists: "... have a mandate from the Great Spirit to paint, and by their paintings restore the Anishinabec to their ancient ways." (Mary E. Southcott, The Sound of the Drum: The sacred Art of the Anishinabec . Boston Mills Press, Ontario 1984).

Though his paintings are often imitated, Mishibinijima remains unconcerned; fluent in the Anishinabec language and legend, he is the living communication of these legends in graphic form.

His prolific art work develops a rich series of themes born of a pure shamanistic perspective and knowledge. Mishibinijima has illustrated a portfolio of symbols derived from the ancient pictographs found on the natural landscape that convey sacred teachings distilled over thousands of years.

These symbols communicate the legends of creation, man's place in creation, the ethics of human behavoir, the history of nomandic migrations, and the sacred poetry of Anishinabec language in graphic forms.

Remaining true to the meanings within these forms and knowledge of rich Spiritual iconography of the societies known as the Three Fires Confederacy of Manitoulin, Mishibinijima brings ancient teachings to the modern world and continues the role of the Anishinabec painters.

"To us, all life is sacred, the gift from the Great Spirit. And the Manitoulin painters particular share this view " ( p.35, The Sound of the Drum, Mary E. Southcott, 1984).

This can be seen within elements of James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA paintings in certain periods of his work, often containing a form line: a heavy black outline which defines and contains a secondary line or patern of anatomical delineation. The spiritual inner dimension beneath the mere appearance of life forms is visually communicated.

The two dimensional reality of a canvas is not tampered with, creating an illusion of depth and shadow during the renaissance period of European art is an example of the original meaning of the word of art - fake, as in artificial.

In stark contrast, the Anishinabe word mijiwi-izahijiganan, means " made with hands". A facet of truth is conveyed in graphic form from a perspective of the universe that is lived by a Shaman painter and derived from nature. Every detail is vitally important: illusion is not only unecessary, it is considered a desecration of the intent and sacred responsibility of the artist.

The universal perspective of nature is within the cardinal directions of the East, South, West, and North: there are Spirits of each direction that are recognized within ceremonies. Attempts to define these elements is rigorously rejected. It is the insight that is visually communicated, the truth of belief which is lived, and the guidance of the elder to knowledge and meaning that is conveyed.

To understand seeing in the way of Anishinabec art where Animism, Shamanism Mediwiwin and even Christianity is revealed in visual form and beyond definition, we may compare the Sacred Mandala of Tibetan Buddhism and it's Shamanic practice of Tantra or the visual graphics of the Shamanic cultures within Siberia, Norway, Sweden and west Arnhemland, Austrailia within the sacred, as explained by Lao Tsu twenty Five Hundred years ago in China. " The which can be told is not the eternal way ". Inner reality is the asperation of Anishinabe artists and this is undertaken with a sacred and cermonial respect and responsibility.

The dominant lines in Anishinabe art are the straight line, the curve line and the circle. The circle is perfection, completeness and continuity. Western Art is built upon the circle, triangle, and rectangle, with great attention paid to the composition within the parameters of the frame of the canvas. Anishinabe painters pay as little heed to the limitations of the edges of the frame in which the visual graphic is communicated as their ancestors would have paid to the edges of the cliffs upon which the pictographs were painted. The rocks themselves were living spirits and Mihibinijima has painted these spirits in his Mountain Series.

The abstraction in European styles such as cubism convey the elements of appearance but abstaction in Anishinabe art conveys a vision. European roots in shamanism may excite the imagination but the inner conflicts revealed in dreams and visions quests have never been lost to Indigenous north American societies.

James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA communicates this connection in every detail of his paintings, and to quote Maey E. Southcott once again: "It is evident that Anishinabe painting reflects and reinforces the beliefs about the meaning of life itself. No greater art has ever exisited without a great philosophy or belief to inspire it. The culture of the Anishinabe provides the ideal source for the Anishinabe Artist. (p.82, The Sound of the Drum)

Source: M I S H I B I N I J I M A - International Artist and Consultant
/Text & image used with permission of the artist/

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>>> Reference post:
- Red Lake Woodland Arts Festival: A Tribute to Norval Morrisseau and the Woodland Artists in 16 DAYS! /Honouring James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA/
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-* The painting in this post: "Spirit Walker" /The Manitou Series/, Acrylic on Birhbark, 8"x11", © James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA /Private Collection/

Norval Morrisseau Erotica (Part VII)

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"Untitled" /Erotic Deer/, © 1980s Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/
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"Erotica has always been an important aspect of Norval Morrisseau's art. To write about his creative opus without inclusion of erotica would make this Blog incomplete."
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"As far as sex was concerned. I did everything under the sun. In those days I was a very sexually oriented person. But things change, things develop, and everything sooner or later dies. There are some things that grow, and you constantly have to sort out your thoughts and ideas."
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>>> Reference posts:
- Norval Morrisseau Erotica (Part I),
- Norval Morrisseau Erotica (Part II),
- Norval Morrisseau Erotica (Part III),
- Norval Morrisseau Erotica (Part IV),
- Norval Morrisseau Erotica (Part V),
- Norval Morrisseau Erotica (Part VI) &
- Recommended readings (Part VII)
-/'Me Sexy: An Exploration of Native Sex and Sexuality'/
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* The painting in this post: "Untitled" /Erotic Deer/, © c. 1980s Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Sacred World of Norval Morrisseau (Part XIX)

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"Sacred Serpents of the Underworld", 28"x25",
© 1979 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/
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"Just as a fish swims in any clear northern lake (in a medium that is virtually invisible to the eye) so we, if we are to live all right, should realize we live in a dimension on which our very existence, as people and artists, depends. The dimension is that of connectivity in life shared together in mutual respect… Fish, in spawning runs, seem to urge each other on, to reach safe and secluded lakes, with plentiful food supplies. Once there, they can live more non-competitively."
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* The painting in this post: "Sacred Serpents of the Underworld", 28"x25", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Flowers of Norval Morrisseau (Part IV)

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© 1990s Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/
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"I transmit astral plane harmonies through my brushes into the physical plane. These otherworld colours are reflected in the alphabet of nature, a grammar in which the symbols are plants, animals, birds, fishes, earth and sky. I am merely a channel for the spirit to utilize, and it is needed by a spirit starved society."
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* The painting in this post: "Title not known, © c. 1970s Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/