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The Birth of an Artist
In a little town called Wikwemikong on the island of Manitoulin, an artist was born with the name of Daphne Odjig. -
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The Life of Daphne Odjig
She lives to this very day. -
The Plauge
According to http://www.nativeonline.com/daphne_odjig.htm at age 13, a bout of rheumatic fever cut short her school attendance. -
First Painting
This was Daphne's first big painting she had ever made. -
Art Career
Also according to Wikipedia, She explored erotic themes in some of her paintings which is rare in First Nations art work. In 1974, Odjig illustrated Tales from the Smokehouse, a collection of traditional First Nations erotica written by Herbert T. Schwarz. That same year, she opened the first Canadian gallery exclusively representing First Nations art in Winnipeg.
In 1973, Odjig became a founding member of the Professional Native Indian Artists Association. -
Education
According to Wkipedia, Odjig moved to Ottawa for a formal art education. She went on to continue her art education in Sweden. She fused together elements of aboriginal pictographs and First Nations arts with European techniques and styles of the 20th century.Her breakthrough into the art work happened in the 1960s when she received critical acclaim for her pen and ink drawings of Cree people from northern Manitoba. -
Awards
Daphne Odjig has been extensively awarded, receiving seven honourary degrees, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Order of British Columbia and both the Order of Canada and the Governor General’s Laureate, Visual and Media Arts, Canada’s highest honour in the field of visual arts. Daphne’s exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada was first of its kind by a First Nation woman artist. -
Art Choices
Daphne has developed a distinct style based on the beautifully abstracted human form. The visual motif central to her work is the circle, which to the Ojibwa signifies completion and perfection and is symbolic of women. The motif is characterized by undulating, rhythmic lines, often heavily outlined, enclosing local colour in soft harmonious shades.
Her subject matter deals with human relationships in the context of Indian culture, the importance of grandparents, the function of the family unit. -
Exhibits
Since 1964, Daphne Odjig has exhibited her work in solo and group exhibitions in Canada and abroad. Her works have been collected by many public and private collectors including the Canadian Museum of Civilization, McMichael Canadian Collection, the Department of Indian Affairs, and the Canada Council Art Bank. -
Gallery.ca
According to http://www.gallery.ca/ Odjig was formally recognized as an artist in 1963 when she was admitted to the British Columbia Federation of Artists. The work that opened this door, the 1962 oil painting Theatre
Queue, is telling: it has been described as an expressionist urban landscape depicting Odjig’s
cultural isolation. She was once quoted regarding this time in her life in a profile in Equinox
magazine: “I so badly wanted to be able to say to you, ‘I’m Indian. -
Awards
According to http://www.bearclawgallery.com/ Daphne Odjig has been extensively awarded, receiving seven honourary degrees, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Order of British Columbia and both the Order of Canada and the Governor General’s Laureate, Visual and Media Arts, Canada’s highest honour in the field of visual arts. Daphne’s exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada was first of its kind by a First Nation woman artist. -
How She Paint
Daphne has developed a distinct style based on the beautifully abstracted human form. The visual design central to her work is the circle, which to the Ojibwa signifies completion and flawlessness and is symbolic of women. Undulating, rhythmic lines, often heavily outlined, enclosing local colour in soft harmonious shades, characterize the design.
