Embracing heritage through art: Angela Wiggins’ Spirit in Nature

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KODIE TRAHAN-GUAY

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QUINTE ARTS COUNCIL

Spirit in Nature is a show by Angela Wiggins and is the culmination of a life spent exploring visual art and family heritage. Spirit in Nature opens September 5th from 4-6 p.m. at the Quinte Arts Council (QAC) Cultural Hub, 36 Bridge St. East, Belleville and runs until October 31st.

Angela Wiggins is Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) by blood, Kanyen’kehà:ka (Mohawk) by association, all of Turtle Island in spirit. Wiggins dreamed of the arts since she was a small child. She danced and sang but found visual arts connected to her more than any other discipline.

As her grandfather was a survivor of a Spanish Residential School, Wiggins was cut off from her heritage. Her family didn’t know their history, heritage or clan. She was asked by a friend to teach three art classes and realized her art was connected to her heritage. She began to research Indigenous art and found it hit a part of her soul.

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“I would study pieces of art, carvings, dance, feather art, totem poles on the coast.  I would try to dissect each piece to understand how they created it. I think, because I had no foundation, I found roots in every clan, each style. I learned to respect the art for what it was; Beautiful, and full of meaning.”

Wiggins works primarily in acrylics. Her work is a multi-layer approach and each layer must dry completely before she can move on so she doesn’t destroy what has come before. She says that while her work may appear simple, it is a lot of precision work to add in all the details. Her focus is on landscapes and wildlife, with added colour, movement, linework and patterns. She says she doesn’t begin with a plan, she dives in and begins painting letting spirit be her inspiration.

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“I close my eyes and ask spirit to guide me. I believe the earth has a strong spirit. That flows onto the canvas as I paint. If I did not have a strong belief in spirit, I don’t know if I could create the way I do. I see an energy inside of an animal or a scene, and I am compelled to recreate it in a way that will promote joy, and healing.”

Wiggins has brought on Ashely Foley to help her look for grants to further her artistic ambitions, and to free up time so she can spend more of it learning about different Indigenous Cultures. Wiggins wants to use her work to help benefit other Indigenous artists but knows she needs to reach a certain level of recognition before she will be taken seriously. Not knowing enough about her own culture and heritage has been one of Wiggins biggest challenges as an artist.

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“The biggest challenge I have had to overcome is self acceptance. I was afraid, and I think I still am, of not being accepted as an Indigenous artist because I never had a chance to learn about who I am. I felt like an imposter. I have had to work hard, harder than I have at any other art form, to create work that I felt respects the heritage of what/who I am trying to represent. I work hard with every piece I create to ensure that I not only show respect for my subject, but to ensure I am respectful of the style of art I work within, and ensure I am grateful to spirit and the creator for my gift.”

She wants to encourage emerging Indigenous artists who are exploring their own cultural identities through their work. Her biggest advice to others is to find your own voice.

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“Take the time to experiment and create. Find what resonates with you.  It does NOT have to be the same as any other Indigenous artist. It just has to be honest.”

Spirit in Nature is work Wiggins has created over the past year. She believes every artist evolves throughout their life and it takes a while for artists to find their place in their work. This is her year. The passion in the way she uses paint, her impressionistic backgrounds, the bold colours and line work are present in each piece of the show. The heart of her pieces are their spirit.

“Spirit is the basis for all of my work.  When you see the eagle and its strength in one painting, or the owl as it peers over its shoulder to see you, the otter swirling deep under water, or just the tree eking out an existence among the rocks. If you really look at the work, you can feel how the spirit in nature can relax your weary soul and give you life!  I wanted the beauty and the energy of each piece to come alive.”

Spirit in Nature opens September 5th from 4-6 p.m. at the Quinte Arts Council (QAC) and runs until October 31st.

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