From the brilliant colours of traditional paintings to the unique designs of pottery for accent pieces, First Nations art offers many visual benefits when designing a rustic Canadian home.
In Ontario, the style of art is often referred to as “Woodlands” or “Legend” art. Ojibwa artist, Norval Morisseau, brought this style of art to the forefront in the 1960s. Recognizable by bold black lines and bright colours, Woodland Art reflects First Nations spirituality and often depicts deep-rooted legends and visions. This style of art is named after the woodland area of stunning landscape around the lakes of Ontario.
This bold artistic style can be perfect for a focal point in a Canadiana or rustic style room, offering a burst of colour where more natural tones, woods and stone are prominent.
You can also look to First Nations art pieces and a popular accent for rustic design is pottery.
As with much First Nations art pieces, pottery takes its inspiration from nature. Feathers, leaves and animals all come into play to bring life and interest to pottery. These pieces are perfect when set against rustic, natural wood shelves or placed on stone mantles. Spots of warm, natural colours taken from the outdoors, add interest and authenticity to any room.
Native Artisan Audrey Tobobondung takes her markedly native designs to create pieces completely her own, using the ancient Japanese pottery style known as Raku. Using the breathtaking beauty of Ontario’s north, Audrey captures the surrounding landscape and wildlife that is distinctly Canadian. Audrey is from the Wasauksing First Nation and has lived in the Parry Sound area for most of her life. Her extensive two year training with Raku/earth and fire artisans has made her art pieces well sought after.
Audrey is an associate at Chris Cardy Imaging, a fine art gallery with a focus on local artists and provocative images of the Parry Sound area. You can find Chris and Audrey at 5 Miller St. in Parry Sound.