26 Facts About Jackson Beardy

Jackson Beardy was an Indigenous Oji-Cree Anishinaabe artist born in Canada.

Jackson Beardy's works are characterized by scenes from Ojibwe and Cree oral history and many focus on the relationship between humans and nature.

Jackson Beardy belonged to the Woodland School of Art and was a prominent member of the Indian Group of Seven.

Jackson Beardy's work has contributed to the recognition of Indigenous contemporary art within Canada.

Jackson Beardy was the son of John Beardy and Dinah Monias and fifth of 13 children.

Jackson Beardy lived with his grandmother, from whom he learned the oral traditions and legends of his Anishinaabe ancestors, for most of his childhood.

Jackson Beardy attended residential school at Portage la Prairie in Southern Manitoba at the age of seven.

Jackson Beardy quickly distanced himself from the forced nature of education that all Indigenous peoples in that area underwent at the residential schools, and it was from these lessons that he began to assert his Indigenous culture.

At the age of 18, Jackson Beardy approached the principal to ask for the promised art education, but quickly learned that the principal would not allow him the art education after all.

When learning this, young Jackson Beardy angrily told him, that he would show him that he is capable of becoming an artist.

Jackson Beardy completed these courses at Technical Vocational High School and graduated in 1964.

Subsequently, Jackson Beardy completed his education at the School of Art at the University of Manitoba in 1966.

Jackson Beardy had many subsequent solo exhibitions throughout 1960s and 1970s.

In 1967, Jackson Beardy was commissioned to create pieces to commemorate the Canadian centennial.

From 1974 through 1976, Jackson Beardy contributed artwork to the covers of numerous books including Ojibway Heritage by Basil Johnston, When the Morning Stars Sang Together by John Morgan, and Almighty Voice by Leonard Peterson.

Also in 1976, Jackson Beardy was one of the contributing artists for a Royal Ontario Museum exhibit called, "Contemporary Native Art of Canada: The Woodland Indians" which travelled to Germany and England.

In 1977, Jackson Beardy had an exhibition in Vancouver, BC entitled, "Images for a Canadian Heritage".

From 1982 through 1983, Jackson Beardy was senior arts advisor for the Federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, now known as Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

Jackson Beardy developed the "Indian Fine Arts Guide" which outlined procedures for the acquisition of Indigenous art.

In 1984, Jackson Beardy was commissioned to paint a mural at the intersection of Selkirk and Powers in Winnipeg.

The paintings were to depict "Peace and Harmony" but Jackson Beardy died before he could complete it.

In celebration of his body of work, Jackson Beardy's art was shown at the Winnipeg Art Gallery from 1993 to 1994.

Jackson Beardy's artwork has been displayed in many museums and other notable institutions both domestically and internationally.

Jackson Beardy, as well as other members from the Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporated, was a member of the Woodlands School of Indigenous Art.

Jackson Beardy's art expresses fundamental cosmological and spiritual concepts such as balance in nature, regeneration and growth, and the interdependence of humans and nature.

Jackson Beardy died on December 7,1984, in Winnipeg, Manitoba from complications after a heart attack.