First Name: Michael

Last Name: Lonechild

Full Name: Michael Leslie Lonechild

Date of birth: October 1955

Place of birth: The White Bear Reserve, Saskatchewan, Canada

Community / Heritage: Cree

Sex: Male

Art Media: Acrylic.

Bio:

Michael Leslie Lonechild is a Cree artist born in 1955 at the White Bear Reserve, Saskatchewan. He began to draw at the age of fifteen, after watching his father and uncle sketch at home. His work depicts the harsh reality and struggles of his people, focusing on the vanishing Cree lifestyle and traditions.

Using acrylics, Lonechild builds up many layers of paint to produce a textural quality to his works. He refers to this technique as “overlapping”. Lonechild learned his skills from books and by observing other artists. 

He began his career by selling his paintings locally, which became a success. By the early 1980s, Lonechild was touted as one of the youngest and most successful Cree artists by Dr. John Anson Warner in his book “The Life and Art of the North American Indian.” Solo and group exhibitions soon followed in Calgary, Edmonton, Estevan, Regina and across Canada.

His works are part of many private and public collections, including the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada, and the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C.

Lonechild divides his time between Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada.

Exhibitions

• 2014: Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada
• 2016: Collector’s Choice Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Collections

• Estevan Art Gallery & Museum, Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C, United States

Articles

• https://www.estevanmercury.ca/news/arts-entertainment/renowned-painter-michael-lonechild-shows-off-his-unique-painting-skills-1.23444291
• https://www.estevanmercury.ca/news/arts-entertainment/a-day-of-art-therapy-from-cree-artist-michael-lonechild-1.23621625
• https://discoverestevan.com/local/q-a-with-acclaimed-artist-michael-lonechild
• https://www.carlyleobserver.com/observed-at-ces-with-artist-michael-lonechild-1.1488324