Stardreamer, Morrisseau and The Thunderbird School of Shamanistic Arts

Long ago Norval Morrisseau chose to plant a seed Vision within Ritchie Sinclair.This Vision foresaw the timely emergence of a Thunderbird School of Shamanistic Arts. Under the name Stardreamer, a name he was given thirty years ago, he held true to their shared Vision. At a Beardance Ceremony, led by Morrisseau, Stardreamer was empowered with responsibility for the continuance of the spiritual/creative movement which Morrisseau began. Now that the Grand Shaman of the Anishinaabe has "translated", the branches of his profound legacy are emerging.

Ritchie Sinclair is Stardreamer >>> Anang Inaabandaan

I am 52 years of age. I live in Toronto. I am a graduate of George Brown College where I obtained my Diploma in Commercial Art in 1979, on the very same day that I met Norval Morrisseau for the very first time.

Norval Morrisseau chose me to be his artistic apprentice. Commencing in 1979, I lived and worked with him at numerous locations over the course of numerous years. As his protégé, I mixed his paints, stretched his canvasses, painted backgrounds for him, observed his work and his methods, and was trained and tutored by him in art.

I am recognized by Norval Morrisseau’s principal art dealers as his protégé and as a teacher, leader and proponent of Morrisseau’s ‘Thunderbird School of shamanistic arts’.

The Thunderbird School and its artists, including myself, were important to Morrisseau, coming at the undisputed height of his career. The following excerpt is from the Wikipedia article about Norval Morrisseau,

"In 1979, he created the Thunderbird School of Shamanistic Arts. This "school of artists" was Morrisseau's way of responding to the Woodland School phenomenon, which he claimed was merely a "Media" creation, and not by his design. The Thunderbird school which he envisioned and created consisted of Morrisseau, and his three apprentice Shaman artists: Ritchie "Stardreamer" Sinclair, Carl "Sunshine" Henderson and Brian "Little Hummingbird" Marion."

In 1994, I painted a 22 foot by 16 foot mural, comprising 29 separate canvasses, entitled, "The Meeting Place", which featured traditional inlay painted by Morrisseau’s other protégé, Brian Marion. This work of art was the centerpiece of the First International Pow Wow which was held at Toronto’s Skydome in June 1994. Hundreds of native dancers danced in front of and below my mural.

On Sept 28, 1997, I was publicly initiated by Norval Morrisseau in a sacred Beardance Ceremony which took place at the McMichael Canadian Collection in Kleinberg, Ontario. Guiding proceedings in his role as the Grand Shaman of the Midewin, or Grand Medicine Society, of the Anishnaabe people, Morrisseau officially passed on responsibility to me to carry on his inspirational artistic movement. Also in attendance was Signe McMichael, Robert McMichael, Don Robinson, Gabe Vadas and many others.
 

 

In 1999, I published a well respected E-book about Morrisseau and Woodland School art entitled, "Woodland Gold. A 21st Century Guide to the Woodland Art Movement" that is available on the internet at http://WoodlandGold.com.

When Norval Morrisseau passed away on December 4, 2007, I organized the Norval Morrisseau Memorial, "Gathering of the People", which took place at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto on Saturday, December 8, 2007.

On Sept 6, 2008, an exhibition of my recent art entitled, "Spirit" opened at the Scollard Street Gallery at 112 Scollard Street in Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario. The show ran through October 6, 2008. It was dedicated to Morrisseau and featured a 6-panel 17 foot by 6 foot mural entitled, "A Great Spirit; The Sleeping Giant of Thunder Bay Returns", and depicted Morrisseau’s passage to the other side.

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