First Name: Mark

Last Name: Jacobson

Full Name: Mark Anthony Jacobson

Alternative Names: Rainbow Thunderbird (Pey-sim-away-apey-binasi)

Date of birth: 1972

Place of birth: Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada

Community / Heritage: Anishinaabe/Ojibwe

Sex: Male

Art Media: Acrylic.

Bio:

Mark Anthony Jacobson is an Ojibwe artist born in 1972 in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. Jacobson is of mixed Swedish and Anishinaabe descent. He began both painting and an exploration of his Ojibway heritage at the age of 13. He was mentored at a young age by Woodland artist Roy Thomas, who provided him with essential skills and encouraged him to follow his own path.

Jacobson creates colourful Woodland-style artwork that is inspired by the stories, legends and traditions of Ojibwe people, relationships between animals and humanity and spirituality. He would find another mentor in Norval Morrisseau, founder of the Woodland School. The two artists had a joint exhibition in 2006 in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

In 2012, he received the American Moonbeam Award for his children’s book “Ojibway Clans- Animal Totems and Spirits.” The following year, Jacobson designed the poster for Aboriginal Awareness Week in Montreal.

Jacobson often introduces himself as “Pey-sim-away-apey-binasi”, which means “Rainbow Thunderbird” in the Ojibwe language. He currently lives and works in British Columbia. He is heavily involved in his community, often donating his artwork for charity.

Exhibitions

• 1991: Art show, Taos square, Taos, New Mexico U.S.A.
• 2002: Art show at Longyear museum of Anthropology, Hamilton, New York, U.S.A.
• 2006: Art show with Vancouver Island artists Port Place, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
• 2006: Art show with Norval Morrisseau, Gallery of Giving, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
• 2006: Art show " Transformations”, Greenery native art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2007: Art show "Our Sacred Environment”, Greenery native art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2008: Art Show "Eagles in the City”, House of the Spirit Bear Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2010: Opening art show for 2010 Indigenous Arts in action “Make it Real” with Norval Morrisseau, Gallery & Community Art Space, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2012: W2 Woodwards Indigenous winter market, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2012: All my Relations, Homecoming art show plus Book launch. A Frame gallery, Sioux Lookout Ontario, Canada
• 2018: Prima Materia Gallery, Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada

Articles

• https://www.arrowlakesnews.com/community/artist-chooses-nakusp-for-his-new-home/
• https://birchbarkbooks.com/all-online-titles/ojibway-clans
• http://www.imagesboreales.com/en/artists.aspx?artistid=94
• http://markanthonyjacobsoncatalogueraisonne.blogspot.com
• http://www.greenerynativeartgallery.com/assets/Mark-Anthony-Jacobson-Biography.asp

Awards

2012: The American "Moonbeam award" for his children's book "Ojibway Clans - Animal totems and spirits"