CEDAR EVE | SPIRIT BERRIES

Image courtesy of YYZ.

A new mural for our YYZ Lending Library by Cedar Eve for the 2021-2022 programming year.

This Mural is inspired by my childhood memories of picking berries and swimming on Manitoulin Island. A lot of those memories involve those who have left this realm for the Spirit World- my Grandma Eva, Auntie Patty and my little brother Zach. This is my way of honoring them, of honoring the land– “Manitou” translates to Spirit, my paternal family is from the Island of  Spirits. It is the largest freshwater island in the world.
This past summer I was reminded that when I was a baby I used to call blueberries, “tou tou bins”. The blueberry design in this painting is based off of one of my Dads paintings.
Colour is healing
Colour is healing
Colour is healing
CEDAR EVE is a visual artist currently based in Montreal. She is Anishinabae (Ojibway), from Saugeen First Nation and Wikwemikong Unceded Territory, but born and raised in Toronto. She graduated from Concordia University in 2012 from Studio Arts, where her focus was primarily on painting.

She is a full-time bead artist. Her company Cedar Eve Creations focuses on beaded jewellery and limited edition screen printed clothing. During the school year, she works with Cree youth in James Bay (Northern Quebec) teaching art.

Through her paintings she explores her world-view and identity while also being inspired by the idea of shapeshifters—creatures on the border between human and animal are painted in bright, bold colours.  Communication, and symbiotic energies are prevalent within her work. She has come to view these creatures as her spirit beings or guides. They are inspired by the stories she has heard growing up, her dreamworld and her need to remember her ancestors.

Her work is meant to question the viewer about what they know about First Nations culture. The language of art allows for communication by non-verbal means and is integral to keeping First Nations cultures alive.