MICHAELA WASHBURN

Creator

BIOGRAPHY

Michaela Washburn hails from Alberta and is a proud Métis artist of Cree, French, Irish, and English ancestry. Now based in North Bay, Ontario, she feels blessed to be grounded in ceremony and community based arts in her work with Aanmitaagzi and Big Medicine Studio. An award winning actor and writer, Washburn also has multiple nominations including the Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize, the Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Award and the K.M. Hunter Artist Award for Theatre. A published author, Michaela’s performance and written work has been shared internationally at festivals and theatres in Wales, Aruba and across Canada and the United States. Upcoming she looks forward to the publication of the award winning play she co-wrote with Joelle Peters and Carrie Costello titled ‘Frozen River/nîkwatin sîpiy', and to continuing her mentorship with Dan Commanda on their project Mino Bimaadiziwin.

COLLABORATOR

Elder Dan Commanda

BIOGRAPHY

Dan Commanda

Ojibway Algonquin Artist

Wenaboozhoo  Nimkii  Bineshii Dizhnikaas

Nbiising Zagigan Doonhibaa, Migizi Dodem.

My Anishinaabe name is Thunderbird man. I come from Lake Nipissing. I am Eagle Clan.  I am a senior traditional artist, dancer and musician.  My artistic gifts were passed down from my parents, grand parents and ancestors. They, too, were talented artists and musicians.

There are many sources where my images originate; from stories passed down, the gift of seeing images in natural forms, trees, clouds, birds, animals, Northern Lights, daytime visions and in the dream world.  I continue to visit sacred sites which display ancestral petroglyphs and pictographs.

As a youth I attended Manitou Arts Foundation (School of Woodland Native Art) on Manitoulin Island.  I graduated with distinction from the Native Cultural Arts Instructor Program at Portage College in Lac La Biche, Alberta.  The education and my experience assist me as I visit and teach in learning facilities and communities.

I will continue to promote Native Cultural Arts as I am presently active in painting, creating new works and playing music. Today my focus is on creating regalia for our youth and toddlers.

I hope my artwork can assist in preserving and promoting Native Cultural Arts and encourage the search of Mino Bimaadiziwin (Good Life).

Miigwetch