Isaac Bignell watercolour prints

Information on Isaac Bignell

Isaac Bignell was a Cree painter, born in 1958 on the Pas Reserve, 400 miles north of Winnipeg in Manitoba. Isaac moved to Winnipeg, then to
Minneapolis and later to Vancouver.

Outside of a few art classes, Isaac was a self taught painter who developed his own style of sponge painting, of wildlife images distinguished
by flowing lines.

He stated that his art was strongly influenced by the traditional ways of my people. He was brought up to live off the land from an early age. Hunting and trapping, living in harmony with the earth taught him to respect the animals and the spirit and power of nature.
He hoop danced and sang Pow Wows to maintain his cultural heritage. Through art and dancing he attempted to influence native people to continue their cultural
ways the gift that was given by the Great Spirit.

Isaac died at the peak of his career at the age of 37, but his art remains as his legacy.