(L-R) Erin Bast, President, Students’ Association of Red Deer Polytechnic; Alex Fuiten, representing the RDP Alumni Association; George Littlechild, artist and Red Deer Polytechnic alum; Trina Carroll, Former President of CUPE local 1445; Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. (Supplied)

By Alessia Proietti

National Truth and Reconciliation Week

RDP unveils Indigenous artwork gifted by public employees, students, and alumni

Sep 25, 2023 | 4:04 PM

To start National Truth and Reconciliation Week on Monday, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) held a special event to celebrate a new addition to their art collection: a piece made by nationally renowned First Nations artist and RDP alum George Littlechild.

On September 25, 65-year-old Littlechild was the guest of honor, sharing his personal story as a former RDP student and Indigenous artist, before his artwork was unveiled at the institution’s Arts Centre (100 College Blvd) to local First Nations leaders, community members, and RDP students, staff, and faculty.

RDP’s public employees, Students’ Association, and Alumni Association purchased the $12,000 piece entitled 4 Star Art Warrior, a self-portrait of Littlechild at the age of 40. The organizations gifted the artwork to RDP’s art collection in recognition of the contributions of students, employees, and alumni and to honour Littlechild’s connection to the Polytechnic.

Erin Bast, President of RDP’s Students’ Association, said the idea to purchase the art piece came from Trina Carroll, Former President of CUPE local 1445, who wanted to better represent indigenization in RDP and in their art collection, holding around 1,200 pieces.

RDP President Stuart Cullum said the institution places an importance on indigenous art and currently hold three other pieces by Littlechild in their collection from when he was a student.

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“We have around 80 pieces of indigenous art in our collection, so we want to continue to grow that in both Inuit, First Nations as well as Metis art,” he said.

Littlechild was born in Edmonton of Plains Cree heritage with connections to the Maskwacis Nations. As a child, he was taken from his home as part of the ‘60s scoop and was raised in five different foster homes in the city. The separation from his community and culture at a young age and his eventual reconnection to his ancestral heritage is often reflected in his artwork, officials say.

He shared how his final foster mother, Winnie, encouraged his artistic abilities and introduced him to his first art teacher.

Littlechild continued to draw while working in a detox centre, wanting to learn more about addiction as both his birth parents died suffering alcoholism.

In 1982, Littlechild was accepted into Red Deer College; however, he said the head of the art and design program notified him that all the other indigenous students who drew culture-specific art, had dropped out of the program. Littlechild said he questioned over the next two years, how he should express himself through his art.

Describing the program as academically challenging, he gave praise to a counsellor at the institution for continuously motivated him, and to Visual Art instructor Ian Cook for giving him his first F mark. He said it was Cook who encouraged him to paint from the heart and soul, rather than the head, which led him to refocus back to culture-specific art.

READ: Instructor celebrates 50 years at Red Deer Polytechnic

Graduating in 1984, Littlechild said he was the first indigenous student to receive a diploma in Art and Design at the school.

Littlechild described his deep love for the painting given to RDP. Taking him around one week to complete the mixed-media portrait with the addition of acrylics and Swiss crayons, he explained the meanings of specific aspects like the gold star in the hair, joking that he never received one in school; the neck piece, meant to protect the soul in Indigenous cultures; and a pyramid on the forehead representing the third eye.

He advised that people should read a painting by looking at specific elements on the canvas, rather than in its entirety, to truly understand what an artist is thinking, experiencing, and creating.

George Littlechild with his painting at the Red Deer Polytechnic Arts Centre on Monday. He pointed to the horse in the neck’s shadow, a colorful eagle feather, and all the colors, representing various elements of spirituality and healing. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

He shared that there are many creative and talented First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples in the art world.

“I really believe it comes from a spiritual essence that other people may not posses,” he said. “All art stands out but with Indigenous art, there is something very unique, something very special, something that makes it have that voice that makes it strong.”

Littlechild went on to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, in Halifax in 1988. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Fraser Valley.

Littlechild’s art has been exhibited across Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. His books and art have won numerous awards and scholarships. To date, he has created hundreds of artworks, which hang in public and private collections around the world.

Officials say the artwork will be displayed inside RDP’s main entrance as a reminder to students, staff, and visitors of the ongoing journey towards reconciliation.

Other events for Truth and Reconciliation Week can be found on their website.