Tim Whiskeychan knows that life has many layers. Born in Chibougamau in 1968, and adopted as an infant by Harry and Laura Whiskeychan. He grew up in Waskaganish, where time with his father in nature ignited his early passion for art.
“My art started at a very young age,” Whiskeychan observed, “and I’ve never stopped.”
This dedication traces back to childhood, when the kitchen table was a space for creativity. “A lot of my influence and art came from my father,” he said. “Especially sitting at the table just doing little doodles and copying images from comics.”
His latest exhibit, Tribute to Jean-Paul Riopelle, runs until April 28 at La Maison autochtone in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, just south of Montreal.
Art is the core narrative of Whiskychan’s life. Curious and always learning, he roots his work in Cree traditions while using contemporary art techniques, making him a versatile artist and an inspiring mentor.
“My dad took me out paddling every summer, surrounded by animals and nature,” he said. “It was his way of teaching me, allowing me to absorb nature and listen to its lessons.”
During the Christmas season, his father had a unique way to nurture Tim’s talent. “Dad couldn’t afford toys, so he bought me a lot of colouring books,” he recounted. “I remember using those Crayola pencils, carefully filling those books with colour. My father was always attention detailed and very humble, and I keep those early lessons close to me to this day.”
Through his father’s guidance and support, he learned that art is not confined to galleries or museums, but resides in the heart of every individual.
“Little did I know I was learning how to blend colours back then, developing accuracy and skill at a young age, learning to be stable and able. I was learning the foundational joy of producing colour on paper and mixing the colours of nature,” he explained. “When I got older, I always kept that urge and happiness in my art.”
Whiskeychan’s artistic journey embodies a deep-rooted commitment to preserving Cree traditions and culture. After his formal education at Cambrian College in Sudbury, where he explored acrylics and other mediums in the late 1990s, Whiskeychan’s artistic horizons expanded. His work as an illustrator, designer and craftsman – creating not just art but functional pieces – embody his artistic vision.
“In college, that’s where I got told to go beyond,” he acknowledged. “They didn’t discourage me, but they told me to go further. I learned about Cubism and Monet. It’s funny to say now, but I didn’t like abstractionism at first.”
As an artist, Whiskeychan says it was essential to speak with Elders and acknowledge the wisdom passed down through generations. “One Elder told me, ‘The thing that you do is very important for you and for your people. You play a role in the community and keep it alive. One day what we teach you will help you’.”
Whiskeychan recalls inspiration drawn from nature and Elders’ teachings. “I was working in the Eastmain River before the diversion,” he reminisced, describing the changes he witnessed in the natural world. “The colours that the animals see throughout the seasons of the year were what stood out to me.”
He describes how these teachings influenced his artistic vision.
“When an Elder goes out in nature, they can tell you what is going to happen. They can predict these colourful and sudden changes because they have learned and understood the knowledge of nature’s patterns. The way colours move and sway, that is migration,” Whiskeychan explained. “When I speak with an Elder, they tell me: ‘The colours all have reason, such as for the seasons, migration, moving, change and natural flow of expression.’”
His path has led him to share what he has learned. “I started to speak and teach at colleges and universities,” he said. “I don’t have a degree, but I have a lot of knowledge and skills.”
His unconventional education speaks volumes about the richness of Indigenous knowledge. As Whiskeychan proudly states, “Everyone asks me where I went to university. I tell them, it all comes from the Elders. I tell them where it all began – how I was raised and taught by a goose hunter.”