Self-styled artist satisfies patrons with unique art
By Kelly Anne Smith
NORTH BAY—Artist Kirk McDonald is working hard to be recognized in the Indigenous art world.
McDonald is a citizen of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and lives in North Bay. He was raised in Toronto and has also lived in M’Chigeeng First Nation. His family is from Manitoulin Island, which he has visited many times.
McDonald is from Buzwah, a community within Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. He is inspired by artist James Simon Mishibinijima, who is also from Buzwah.
“He’s one of my favourite artists. I think he’s the best artist in the world of [Indigenous] art,” McDonald says.
McDonald talks about his work.
“I basically do acrylic on canvas. I’ve done some paintings on drums and jackets. And I’ve also designed tattoos,” he says. “I’ve been painting for 28 years…I don’t copy anybody. I’d say my style is my style. All my art is copyright originals from myself.”
McDonald enjoys painting animals and spirits.
“I have dreams and I remember them. I copy them down and then later on, I do a background and it just comes to me [of] what to put on there. Maybe not right away, but within an hour or two. And sometimes, instantly,” McDonald explains. “I’ve learned how to do backgrounds myself and I learned from another artist, who showed me a couple of things on backgrounds.”
McDonald enjoys painting on smaller circular canvases, as well as 20″ x 24″ pieces.
“I just finished selling some. I was up on Manitoulin Island, and I sold a big one and three small ones,” McDonald says.
His favourite subjects to paint are forest animals.
“I am Bear Clan, so I do a lot of bears, but I also paint moose, crane, loons, deer, eagles, fox[es], [and] turtles. But I mostly do a lot of bears because [of] my clan,” McDonald says.
The artist fondly remembers his mother as always being supportive of his art.
“I’ve been inspired since I started by my mother, God rest her soul. She’s passed now. Her name is Rosemary Roy. She always encouraged me on my artwork,” he says.
McDonald says that he has come a long way on his own.
“I’m not the best artist in the world, but I’ve been working my way to get there. I want to have my own style. I want to have something that nobody else has seen before. I have seen images of nature, landscapes, and animals in my dreams,” says McDonald. “And I thank the Creator for the gift of my artwork. I’m not fully traditional, but I plant tobacco, I smudge, and then I pray with the tobacco and give thanks to my ancestors and my family that are not with us anymore. I’m very proud of my Indigenous heritage.”
McDonald illustrates variety and uniqueness in every painting.
“I use different colours on every painting. Some of them are abstract backgrounds. Somebody can see something in that painting that I don’t even see. When they mention it to me, I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ And then, they’ll buy the painting. But it’s whatever catches their eye. They will look at a painting and say, ‘Wow, that’s a beautiful background’,” says McDonald.
McDonald is proud of his work and likes getting into a tranquil state when he is painting.
“I’ll work on about six or seven paintings, so by the time I get back to number one, the paint is dry, and I keep on going. Once I finish a painting and I look at it, it’s just total exhilaration that I created that. I get a natural high out of it. Just that really good feeling of, wow, look what I created.”
Kirk McDonald’s business name is Spiritual Images. Keep an eye out for him and his paintings at the Nipissing First Nation pow wow on September 5 in Garden Village.