"Healing"
8"x10" oil on wood
The actual original painting.
The actual original painting.
A compassionate reaching out to the survivors of the Aboriginal Residential Schools
What this painting symbolizes:
The red background: represents the ground where Aboriginals grew their crops.
The Sun: represents the sun and sky, the Aboriginals relied on the sun to help grow their crops.
The water: The Aboriginals relied on the water to provide for fishing and transportation.
The Peace Pipe: A symbol and instrument of peace between Aboriginals and non-aboriginals. In this case a symbol of peace, an expression of this artist asking forgiveness on behalf of this country, and hope for healing.
The string holding the feathers: The common thread of each of the survivors.
The feathers: represents the innocent individual children who are now survivors. Each feather is unique as are each of the children who suffered. Each has it's own story as do the children who endured.
The eagle on the mouth piece: Carrying us forward, may we never forget and never allow this to happen ever again.
A painting of healing
for survivors of the Aboriginal Residential Schools
There are two things in life that move my emotions to either extreme on the scale: They are with out a doubt the happiness of a child and the sadness of a child. When I see a child, not necessarily my own, who is happy and joyful it also brings happiness and joy to my heart. Likewise, when I see a child who is sad or hurt it really goes to the deepest part of my soul.
Such is the case of the Aboriginal Residential Schools. Since their very inception in the late 1800's in Canada, children from Aboriginal homes across Canada were removed to live in facilities geared towards education and reforming their minds and lives, or so it was thought. Let me say for the record of this blog that it is clear that most of the staff of those institutions were not participants in the abuse of the children, many of the staff were simply ignorant or kept away from knowing the sad truths unfolding behind closed doors. Those who inflicted the pain and damage on those children's lives were truly monsters of the highest order. In this posting I do not wish to dwell on them as they are being dealt with one by one through both the courts and the courts of public opinion and shame. For this posting I choose to focus on the children.
While I remain a truly proud Canadian, and proud of so many wonderful aspects of this great land, I also stand with those who feel utter shame and pain at the very sound of those words: Residential Schools. From time to time the news carries images of those children in their classrooms, sitting at desks and all the while you know the horror some of them were living through. Each time I see them or hear about them my heart withers in pain and sadness. I wish there was something that I could do. Certainly no one can erase it all. Certainly no one can even rewrite the past. But we can share our thoughts and make certain it never happens again. We can show love and compassion to those victims and relatives of victims who carry with them the pain of the experiences.
This brings me to the point of this posting. Some time ago I determined that I would do a painting that expresses my inner most feeling about this sad part of our history. My painting would address each of the elements of the story and leave out mentioning the inflictors of the pain (They have received enough attention). My painting would support the survivors and give hope for a better future. It would not simply generalize the entire group of victims but draw attention to their individuality as humans and persons of importance.
I want to say that I am not Aboriginal, neither am I related in any way to Aboriginals. I have no connection to any survivor of the Residential Schools. I am also not a practicing artist of Aboriginal art. Having said that I want to say how moved I am at the methods and colours used by Aboriginal artists. I have veered off of my usual and known style of painting to create this piece I present here to you called "Healing". Mine is an effort to share my inner most feelings and to approach healing in a meaningful way. May I encourage you the reader to share this story and image of my painting with others who would benefit from it spiritually, emotionally or who also would like some form of expression for what they feel with regards to this history.
Such is the case of the Aboriginal Residential Schools. Since their very inception in the late 1800's in Canada, children from Aboriginal homes across Canada were removed to live in facilities geared towards education and reforming their minds and lives, or so it was thought. Let me say for the record of this blog that it is clear that most of the staff of those institutions were not participants in the abuse of the children, many of the staff were simply ignorant or kept away from knowing the sad truths unfolding behind closed doors. Those who inflicted the pain and damage on those children's lives were truly monsters of the highest order. In this posting I do not wish to dwell on them as they are being dealt with one by one through both the courts and the courts of public opinion and shame. For this posting I choose to focus on the children.
While I remain a truly proud Canadian, and proud of so many wonderful aspects of this great land, I also stand with those who feel utter shame and pain at the very sound of those words: Residential Schools. From time to time the news carries images of those children in their classrooms, sitting at desks and all the while you know the horror some of them were living through. Each time I see them or hear about them my heart withers in pain and sadness. I wish there was something that I could do. Certainly no one can erase it all. Certainly no one can even rewrite the past. But we can share our thoughts and make certain it never happens again. We can show love and compassion to those victims and relatives of victims who carry with them the pain of the experiences.
This brings me to the point of this posting. Some time ago I determined that I would do a painting that expresses my inner most feeling about this sad part of our history. My painting would address each of the elements of the story and leave out mentioning the inflictors of the pain (They have received enough attention). My painting would support the survivors and give hope for a better future. It would not simply generalize the entire group of victims but draw attention to their individuality as humans and persons of importance.
I want to say that I am not Aboriginal, neither am I related in any way to Aboriginals. I have no connection to any survivor of the Residential Schools. I am also not a practicing artist of Aboriginal art. Having said that I want to say how moved I am at the methods and colours used by Aboriginal artists. I have veered off of my usual and known style of painting to create this piece I present here to you called "Healing". Mine is an effort to share my inner most feelings and to approach healing in a meaningful way. May I encourage you the reader to share this story and image of my painting with others who would benefit from it spiritually, emotionally or who also would like some form of expression for what they feel with regards to this history.
I would be pleased to read your comments about this dedication. You may send them to me at [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]
In addition to this post I am including some links here for more information regarding the history, current court proceedings/settlements, and support groups for survivors of the residential School system. http://www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca/schools.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Indian_residential_school_systemhttp://www.ahf.ca/contact-ushttp://www.sacsbc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=145&Itemid=390
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100015576
http://fhqtc.com/white-raven-healing-centre/
http://www.ncsa.ca/online/?page_id=41
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100015576
http://fhqtc.com/white-raven-healing-centre/
http://www.ncsa.ca/online/?page_id=41
Retelling the stories of Aboriginal Residential School Survivors through oil paintings.
My heart is broken each and every time I listen to or read stories of first hand accounts of Residential School survivors. I am also speechless about it. As an artist I do have a voice though. Here i am posting paintings of mine which I attempt to re tell some of those stories. I do so with utmost respect for the survivors, and also so that we can assure that we as a Country and as individuals will never turn a blind eye again to such shameful acts on innocent young angels in our society. One artists voice through his brush.
Broken Trust
11"x14" oil on wood
this is the story of the young children being brought into the residential schools under the false pretence of good education, proper upbringing and good meals. Non of which ever were fulfilled. I have taken the liberty of colouring the young child in white signifying an angel. Totally and completely innocent.
11"x14" oil on wood
this is the story of the young children being brought into the residential schools under the false pretence of good education, proper upbringing and good meals. Non of which ever were fulfilled. I have taken the liberty of colouring the young child in white signifying an angel. Totally and completely innocent.
The captive
11"x14" oil on wood
In this painting I am telling the story of a young Aboriginal girl whose hair has been cut short, she is now wearing non Aboriginal clothes and there she stands, gazing out the Residential school window, dreaming of home, but unable to leave.
11"x14" oil on wood
In this painting I am telling the story of a young Aboriginal girl whose hair has been cut short, she is now wearing non Aboriginal clothes and there she stands, gazing out the Residential school window, dreaming of home, but unable to leave.
The monster
11"x14" oil on wood
This painting speaks volumes. Almost needs no explanation. It is telling the story of a priest who is supposed to be an assurance of comfort and safety, rather his foreboding presence at the door is something all Aboriginal Residential School children learn to fear deeply. The supposed trustworthy figure is actually a monster. Wolf in sheeps clothes. While shocking I felt compelled to paint this because these monsters went to trial and much of what they were guilty of remained inside the court room. We saw their faces on the news but as soon as they were whisked off to prison their deeds were never to be known. This painting of mine attempts to reveal in a subtle but clear way, the true story.
I want every viewer to understand that the purpose here is to lend a voice to assurance that we will never turn a blind eye to such atrocities ever again. As an artist i lend my artistic voice to the cause.
11"x14" oil on wood
This painting speaks volumes. Almost needs no explanation. It is telling the story of a priest who is supposed to be an assurance of comfort and safety, rather his foreboding presence at the door is something all Aboriginal Residential School children learn to fear deeply. The supposed trustworthy figure is actually a monster. Wolf in sheeps clothes. While shocking I felt compelled to paint this because these monsters went to trial and much of what they were guilty of remained inside the court room. We saw their faces on the news but as soon as they were whisked off to prison their deeds were never to be known. This painting of mine attempts to reveal in a subtle but clear way, the true story.
I want every viewer to understand that the purpose here is to lend a voice to assurance that we will never turn a blind eye to such atrocities ever again. As an artist i lend my artistic voice to the cause.
The new arrivals
11"x14" oil on wood
This is the story of children being led up the path to Mount Cashel Residential School. At this point the children have been removed from their families by force, the trauma has already taken it's toll, and for many the worst was yet to come. I refused to put the crosses into the painting which were on the building. In my way of thinking, although the so called care givers were acting under the umbrella of the faith, I believe (of course) that God would never have condoned what they were doing. THAT is the understatement of the century, in my view. I will not allow God's name to be degraded further in my paintings. The abusers were monsters all by them selves.
11"x14" oil on wood
This is the story of children being led up the path to Mount Cashel Residential School. At this point the children have been removed from their families by force, the trauma has already taken it's toll, and for many the worst was yet to come. I refused to put the crosses into the painting which were on the building. In my way of thinking, although the so called care givers were acting under the umbrella of the faith, I believe (of course) that God would never have condoned what they were doing. THAT is the understatement of the century, in my view. I will not allow God's name to be degraded further in my paintings. The abusers were monsters all by them selves.
Please protect us
11"x14" oil on wood
This painting tells the story of three young Aboriginal girls in their desperation, holding onto each other and pleading for protection, with the shadows of the so called care givers beyond them. Little angels. It's all I can say for this painting.
11"x14" oil on wood
This painting tells the story of three young Aboriginal girls in their desperation, holding onto each other and pleading for protection, with the shadows of the so called care givers beyond them. Little angels. It's all I can say for this painting.
