Leonard Paul comes home to share art with youth at Pictou Landing

The Herald Chronicle Arts Reporter, Elissa Barnard, has written an excellent piece about my exhibition today at the Marigold Cultural Centre, Truro.  To read the full article click on "Read More" at the end of this post.

Mi'kmaw artist Leonard Paul is back home with an ambitious new painting project and a desire to spark the arts in Mi'kmaw communities.  He was in Calgary for nearly 10 years working as a director of recreation and cultural arts.  "I had an epiphany.  I said "Why am I doing this out here when I can be back home?"

Recently turned 60, he is putting biking and running on the back burner to focus on his painting and he is teaching art at Pictou Landing.  He is alarmed by the lack "of progress of the youth going into the arts and I know they're out there and I know there is talent."

 "We need to have our own First Nations arts council.  We should have a performing arts centre where the youth can  practise whatever discipline they are in."

This summer's arts symposium in Millbrook for Atlantic Indigenous artists and arts practitioners was a good start, he says "When we do get together, a lot of artists don't think they're artists.  They say, "Oh, we're craftspeople".  I say, "Are you expressing yourself, your emotion, through your craft?" and they say, "Yes," and I say, "You're an artist."
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