"My art speaks and will continue to speak, transcending barriers of nationality, language and other forces that may be divisive, fortifying the greatness of the spirit that has always been the foundation of the Ojibwa people."
Norval Morrisseau Short Biography
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 died December 4th, 2007
Original Norval Morrisseau's
Currently Available
at Steffich Fine Art on Salt Spring Island
See more Original Norval Morrisseau Artworks
Gracing the walls of Steffich Fine Art
How Norval Morrisseau Became Copper Thunderbird
Conquest of the Thunderbird
Norval Morrisseau- a true story you never heard before…
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...
Steffich Fine Art is in LOVE with the Shamanic Art of Norval Morrisseau
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.
"I want to make paintings full of colour, laughter, compassion and love. I want to make paintings that will make people happy, that will change the course of people's lives. If I can do that, I can paint for a hundred years." ~ Norval Morrisseau
Films and Videos Featuring Norval Morrisseau
2019 There Are No Fakes Director: Jamie Kastner
2005 A Separate Reality: the Life and Times of Norval Morrisseau Carvallo, Paul (Producer), for the Life and Times Canada’s Premiere Biography Series, CBC
2004 Stories from the 7th Fire “Winter” Coyes, Greg, animation based on art of Norval Morrisseau
1990 Shaman Never Die Lamothe, Arthur Director/Producer), Atelier Audio Visuelle, Montreal The Originals (film) Norval Morrisseau - Znaimer, Moses; Jim Hanley, City TV, Toronto, Ontario
1982 Spirits Speaking Through: Canadian Woodland Artists CBC Spectrum Series
1974 The Paradox of Norval Morrisseau Jacobsen, Henning Productions Ltd.; Duke Redbird (Director)
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
1973 The Colours of Pride
Jacobsen, Henning Productions Ltd. National Film Board of Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs
Solo Exhibitions of Norval Morrisseau
Featuring Norval Morrisseau's original artwork during his lifetime.
Norval Morrisseau, Shaman Artist
2006 Steffich Fine Art, Salt Spring Island, BC
Norval Morrisseau : Pictorial Legends
2002 Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Evolution: Four Decades of Work by Norval Morrisseau
2001 Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon, Manitoba
Norval Morrisseau: The Red Lake Years
1999 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau, Bridging the Past to the Future
Norval Morrisseau: New Works on Paper
1997 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau: Travels to the House of Invention
1994 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Honouring First Nations – Norval Morrisseau
1992 Jenkins/Showler Galleries, Whiterock, British Columbia
The Spirit Within: Early Paintings by Norval Morrisseau
1991 Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau
Wallack Galleries, Ottawa, Ontario
1990 Kinsman Robinson Galleries Toronto, Ontario
Norval Morrisseau:The Shaman’s Return
1989 The Art Emporium, Vancouver, British Columbia
1988 Sinclair Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia
1987 Gulf Canada Gallery, Alberta
1984 Ontario North Now, Ontario Place, Toronto, Ontario
Library AA Gallery, Brampton, Ontario
1983 Art Imperial Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Native American Centre for the Living Arts, Niagara Falls, N.Y., USA
Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre and Centre for Indian Art
World Wide Collections of Norval Morrisseau Original Paintings
Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
Art Gallery of Windsor, Toronto, Ontario
Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, Ontario
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Collection
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Ontario
Citicorp of Canada Ltd., Toronto, Ontario
City Hall Collection, Toronto, Ontario
City of Toronto Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Constellation Hotel, Toronto, Ontario
Crown Life Insurance, Toronto, Ontario
Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Gatineau, Quebec
Dodd’s Coal Mines, South Edmonton, Alberta
Etobicoke Board of Education, Etobicoke, Ontario
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta
Government of Ontario Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Guardian Capital Group, Toronto, Ontario
Hart House Art Gallery, University of Toronto, Ontario
Humber College Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Imperial Oil of Canada, Toronto and Calgary
Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario
McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg, Ontario
Manitoba Centennial Corporation, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Montreal Museum of Fine Art, Montreal, Quebec
Montreal Trust Company Collection
Musée du Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec
National Gallery of Canada
Noranda Mines Collection, Toronto, Ontario
Noreen Energy Resources Ltd.
Northern Telecom, Toronto, Ontario
Oakville Centennial Gallery, Oakville, Ontario
Ondaatje Corporation, Toronto, Ontario
Ontario Centennial Committee Collection
Proctor and Gamble, Toronto, Ontario
Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Robertson Art Centre, Binghampton, NY
Ross Memorial Hospital, Lindway, Ontario
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario
Seneca College, Toronto, Ontario
Simon Fraser Gallery, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
The Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Awards Received by Norval Morrisseau
1995 Eagle Feather from the Assembly of First Nations, Ottawa
1980 Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree
McMaster University, Hamilton Ontario
1978 Order of Canada
1970 Appointed a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art (RCAA)
