Biography

I am a member of the Kitigan-Zibi Algonquin First Nation in Quebec located about 130 km north of Ottawa, Canada. I am 30 years old, my wife's name is Celine and we have a beautiful daughter named Shawnesia.

I don't remember how old I was when I first began drawing but judging from my scribbles under my parents furniture, I must have been about 3 or 4 years old. Apart from art classes in high school I didn't get any formal training in art until I was 17, when I moved to the big city of Toronto after graduation. There I was weaned of my pencil and introduced to the wide world of art.

Comments on urban experience:

It was a real culture shock for me. Being used to seeing lakes and trees every day, I was waking up to concrete and steel. It was a good  experience for me though because 
 

I first began working in 2-dimensional painting and illustrating on commission. It was fun at first but became boring not long after. I eventually gave up art completely for a period of a few years. When I did pick up my brush again I thought I would be real rusty being out 

Now I work 3-dimensional as well and experiment with any medium I can get my hands on. Instead of working from commission, I do what I want and doing the best work I've ever done before.

My inspirations are the forefathers and mothers of first nations who've created beautiful works of art from their natural elements: birch bark baskets, canoes, drumsÖetc. Everything they made was a work of art and also served a useful purpose in their lives.

With my artwork I try to incorporate traditional themes using contemporary techniques. Nowadays I manage to fit my artwork into my family, full- time job, and my favorite hobby, fishing.