First Name: Jay

Last Name: Bell Redbird

Full Name: Jay Bell Redbird

Date of birth: August 31, 1966

Place of birth: Ottawa, Ontario

Date of death: June 9, 2019

Community / Heritage: Ojibwe

Sex: Male

Website: www.jaybellredbird.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jay.redbird

Art Media: Acrylic, ink.

Bio:

Jay Bell Redbird was an Ojibwe artist born in Ottawa, Canada on August 31, 1966.

Growing up, Redbird was taught and influenced by many world-renowned artists, including his uncle Leland Bell, his father Duke Redbird, Norval Morrisseau, Jackson Beardy and Cecil Youngfox.

Morrisseau taught Jay about colours and their meaning in the Ojibwe culture, history and language. His uncle Leland and father Duke helped Jay to find his voice as an artist, teaching him the techniques, stories and traditions of Ojibwe culture.

Following these formative years, he continued to paint and educate himself further, finding his own style and meaning to his work. Redbird’s colourful and vibrant works tell stories, depict animal spirits, legends and dreams.

Redbird said: “I paint from my heart and soul, viewing Aboriginal people through their life ways as they once lived and as they strive to continue to live as loving, caring and peaceful people. The teachings and stories I have learned flow onto the canvas expressing ideas through my detailed, Woodland style of art. A style that I connected with as part of my history passed down from generation to generation. I paint legends and dreams, bringing to life the animal spirit and the spirit of all creation. My lines do not tell the story of prejudice, they follow the Red Road, Mino Bimaadiziwin as I do following the teaching of the Three Fires Midewiwin Society”.

In 2012, Redbird met Rolf Bouman and became a mentor for many Indigenous artists of the Friends United initiative.

Redbird’s work became part of many private and public collections in Canada and worldwide. Many Hollywood actors, including Russell Crowe, Danny DeVito and Meg Ryan, who Jay met while working in the film industry in Toronto, have purchased and become collectors of his work.

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions:

• 2004: Applause Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2005: New Earth Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Group Exhibitions:

• 1998: Hummingbird Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 1999: Skydome Pow-wow, ANDPVA, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2000: Aboriginal Voices Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005: Woodland Cultural Centre, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

Articles

• https://www.truecanadianart.com/jay-bell-redbird
• https://medium.com/@debra.churchill/saying-good-bye-to-a-true-creative-25d656eefd60
• http://muskratmagazine.com/jay-bell-redbird/
• https://www.thewhig.com/news/local-news/ojibway-artists-vibrant-life-to-be-honoured-at-kingston-artfest
• https://www.twac.ca/portfolio-item/jay-bell-redbird/
• https://littlebitesbigwood.wordpress.com/2014/06/16/review-halina-stopyra-jay-bell-redbird-together-at-communication-gallery/
• https://sencanada.ca/en/senators/coyle-mary/interventions/529489/4
• https://www.thewhig.com/news/local-news/jay-would-want-us-to-go-on
• http://sagepaul.com/aftertheoneofakind/
• https://www.law.utoronto.ca/news/meeting-place-all-our-relations-something-worth-celebrating