Christi Belcourt
| Christi Belcourt | |
|---|---|
 Christi Belcourt as an Artist in Residence at the McMichael Art Gallery, Kleinburg, ON, 2004 | |
| Born |
1966 Scarborough, Ontario |
| Residence | Espanola, Ontario |
| Nationality | Métis, Canadian |
| Occupation | painter |
| Parents | Tony Belcourt, Judith Pierce-Martin |
| Relatives | Shane Belcourt, Suzanne Belcourt |
| Website | |
| www.christibelcourt.com | |
Christi Marlene Belcourt (born September 24, 1966) is a Métis visual artist and author living and working in Canada. She is best known for her acrylic paintings which depict floral patterns inspired by Métis and First Nations historical beadwork art. Belcourt is recognized within the Métis community as one of the preeminent Métis artists in Canada.
Biography
Born in Scarborough, Ontario, Christi Belcourt is the daughter of national Métis rights activist Tony Belcourt and Judith Pierce-Martin (née Streatch). Her brother Shane Belcourt is a writer, director, musician and cinematographer known for his feature film Tkaronto, which depicts the life of urban Métis and First Nations people. Her sister Suzanne Belcourt is a graphic designer and artist living and working in southern Ontario. In 1970, her father was elected as the founding President of the Native Council of Canada (now known as the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) and the family relocated permanently to Ottawa, Ontario from Edmonton, Alberta.
As a Métis visual artist with a deep respect for the traditions and knowledge of her people, the majority of her work explores and celebrates the beauty of the natural world. She is the author of three books: Medicines To Help Us (study prints & book, based on painting of same title; Saskatoon: Gabriel Dumont Institute, 2007), Jeremy and the Magic Ball (the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres) and Beadwork (Ningwakwe Learning Press). Her work has been commissioned by the Gabriel Dumont Institute (Saskatoon, 2004), the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Centre for Traditional Knowledge & Museum of Nature (Ottawa, 2002), and is found in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and the Canadian Museum of Civilization, First People’s Hall. Belcourt is a past recipient of awards from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the Métis Nation of Ontario. She has been studying traditional plants (identification of, stories of, medicinal uses for, names in Michif and Cree) for numerous years. She lives and works in Espanola, Ontario, Canada.
Awards
Belcourt is the recipient of awards from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Chalmers Family Fund and the Métis Nation of Ontario.[1]
See also
References
- Mattes, Catherine. "Metis Perspectives in Contemporary Art." Metis Legacy Ed. Barkwell, Lawrence J., Leah Dorion, Darren R. Prefontaine. Winnipeg, MB: Pemmican Publications, 2001.
- Green, Joyce. Making Space for Indigenous Feminism. Winnipeg, MB: Ferwoond Publishing, 2007.
- ↑ Hunnie, C (2007-2008). "Christi Belcourt Expression of Nature". Aboriginal Boreal Conservation Leaders. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
External links
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