The man who livened up large blank canvasses in Sidney is bringing spirits to the Gallery at the Mac.
Artist Ice Bear’s exhibition Manitouwabi (meaning, in the language of the artist’s people, spirit) focuses largely on matters of the spirit in all its forms.
Ice Bear’s paintings and sculpture explore the relationship of mankind to his world, and his spiritual connection to it. In the tradition of most woodland people, and many other aboriginal people of the world, the Creator and Spirit are not entities seperate from us, but exist within us and within every living thing, animate and inanimate. Their traditional teachings tell us that only by acknowledging the Creator, and the Spirit that dwells in all things, can we truly understand and respect not only ourselves, but our world, our Mother Earth.
Canadian Ojibway artist IceBear’s work spans the gamut from representational landscapes to contemporary three dimensional graphic sculptures. His native ancestry is the inspiration and foundation for the thoughtful and often deeply spiritual undercurrent to each piece. His classical art training allows him to communicate with those viewers with a more traditional understanding of what art is as well as those looking for more cutting edge contemporary work.
Manitouwabi is in the Gallery at the Mac until June 1. For more information or private appointment contact the office at 250-361-0800.