Nipissing First Nation artist to see his designs in upcoming eyewear collection

By Rick Garrick

AYA Optical is releasing a new collection of eyewear designed by Indigenous artists, including designs featuring cutouts by First Nation artists Donald Chrétien and Corrine Hunt.

Chrétien, an Anishinabe artist from Nipissing First Nation, says his new River eyewear design incorporates a cutout of two eagles on the temples based on a story his brother-in-law told him.

“When they pair up, he was saying you always see them flying in circles around each other and then they will lock together and fall through the air just to have fun and then break apart and fly off in separate directions,” Chrétien says. “This was a story he told me where him and his brother have a special link, and that is two eagles flying together with one spirit and one heart.”

Chrétien says he began designing eyewear for AYA Optical creator Carla D’Angelo about four years ago.

“Working with her is great — it’s been amazing,” Chrétien says. “She is a great person to work with.”

Chrétien usually creates his designs on a computer.

“I have a background in computer work, so I’ve done a lot of illustrations on computer, vector work,” Chrétien says. “I actually have a piece I did for the Vancouver Olympics, an 80-foot mural that is in the Pacific Coliseum that was done all on the computer.”

Chrétien also created another new design, Turtle Island, for AYA Optical. It incorporates a turtle design on the temples based on the 13 Moons painting he recently completed.

“The back of the turtle has the 13 moon spots,” Chrétien says. “One is dedicated for each moon and [there are] 28 around the outside also, so it is sort of an Ojibwe calendar.”

Hunt, a Kwakwaka’wakw/Tlingit artist from B.C., says her new Celeste eyewear design incorporates a cutout raven design on the temples.

“I think it gives a more modern look to the glasses and the First Nations art,” Hunt says. “It sort of creates everything in a negative-positive space. It’s kind of like the raven gives the light, but in this case with the cutouts the light shines through. It is a take on modern First Nations art.”

Hunt began working with D’Angelo to create Indigenous eyewear designs about 10 years ago. She co-designed the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic medals and has also created hand-crafted jewelry, accessories, art installations and furniture.

“It’s actually been amazing,” Hunt says. “Carla approached me with this idea and I’ve always been supportive of using the designs on practical applications. Glasses [are something] everybody needs and wants, so it seemed like a really good fit. Carla’s knowledge of opticals and sunglasses and the industry is amazing, so we were able to put together a really high quality product.”

Since being founded in 2003, AYA Optical has initiated partnerships with collaborators in other regions such as the Southwest United States and is looking at future collaborations with Indigenous artists in Australia.

“AYA is a celebration of Indigenous Art, through collaborations that look to the past and future,” D’Angelo says. “I work together with Indigenous artists with the goal of making their work less obscure by bringing their art and stories to a wider audience via our eyewear. It’s a small but important act of reconciliation. I am very excited about expanding the collection to include the work of First Nations artists from coast to coast.”

The new AYA Optical eyewear is scheduled to be available at claudiaalan.com and select opticians and museums across North America beginning in June.