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Norval Morrisseau

"I transmit astral plane harmonies through my brushes into the physical plane. These otherworld colours are reflected in the alphabet of nature, a grammar in which the symbols are plants, animals, birds, fishes, earth and sky. "

~ Norval Morrisseau of Toronto, Ontario

Norval Morrisseau

Norval Morrisseau, born March 14th, 1932, also known as Copper Thunderbird, was an Indigenous Canadian artist from the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation.

Known as the "Picasso of the North", Morrisseau created works depicting the legends of his people, the cultural and political tensions between native Canadian and European traditions, his existential struggles, and his deep spirituality and mysticism.

His style is characterized by thick black outlines and bright colors. He founded the Woodlands School of Canadian Art and was a prominent member of the “Indian Group of Seven”. He was a recipient of the Order of Canada in 1979.

Morrisseau transcended this earthly plane December 4th, 2007 on Vancouver, Island.

Return to Norval Morrisseau's Artist Legacy Collection Page

How Norval Morrisseau Became Copper Thunderbird

Norval Morrisseau- a true story you never heard before…

Steffich Fine Art is in LOVE with the Shamanic Art of Norval Morrisseau

Norval Morrisseau, Shaman Artist Few would argue that Norval is one of the most important artists this country has ever produced, native or otherwise.

The exact year of Norval Morrisseau's birth is not known, but is thought to be between 1931 and 1933 in Northwestern Ontario. Norval started to paint in 1959, after he received a “vision” telling him to do so. He was the first Ojibwa to break the tribal rules of setting down Indian legends in picture form for the white man to see.

Morrisseau was dubbed the "Picasso of the North" by the French Press in 1969 and is considered one of the most innovative artists of the Century.

How Norval Morrisseau Became Copper Thunderbird ... This is the highest sort of power that can be given to any one that is sick; and that is to give him a new name, a powerful new name. It is just like administering extreme unction, like the Jesuits do almost like a last rite.

Conquest of the Thunderbird Conquest of the Thunderbird In June of 2010, the National Gallery of Canada purchased the painting “Conquest of the Thunderbird” from our gallery. It now becomes part of our shared Canadian culture, and I for one, could not be any more proud to have been a part of making this happen.

Sit down and I will tell you a tale. About a painting, a man, and his friends. As told to us by the client who owned the painting “The Young Thunderbird”. The Young Thunderbird It was early 1970’s and I was living in the Beaches in Toronto. It was a time that anything was possible and everything...

Did you know Steffich Fine Art has a “thing” for the Shamanic Art of Norval Morrisseau? I did, but until today I never knew why.

If you look around our gallery you will see a little bit of Norval everywhere, he is omnipresent, in fact he is our most requested artist. Despite this, I had never heard the story behind our gallery’s Morrisseau obsession.

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Norval Morrisseau

Norval Morrisseau

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