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The Bee

“BEE”

“Aamoo” is the Ojibwe word for Bee

A Collaborative Interactive Art Project

 

Welcome to the YR Experience Trail Marker in Aurora located in Town Park Aurora

 

Town of Aurora Land Acknowledgment

We would like to start by acknowledging that the land on which we live and work is the traditional and treaty territory of the Anishinaabe, and many other Nations, whose presence here continues to this day. As a Municipality, Aurora has shared responsibility for the stewardship of this land.

We further acknowledge that Aurora is part of the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, recognized through Treaty #13 as well as the Williams Treaties of 1923.

A shared understanding of how the rich cultural heritage that has existed for centuries and of how our collective past brought us to where we are today, will help us walk together into a better future.

About Aurora

 

Indigenous worldview of the bee

Aamoo – The Bee plays an important role in the plant world pollinating berries including the first berry of the season, the strawberry Odemin; the heart berry representing the rejuvenation of the changing seasons.

 

Re-Connect through Art

We invite you to engage in photos and sharing on social media your experiences on the Experience Trail! Use the hashtag: #ExperienceYR

@experienceyorkregion @yorkregionarts @donchretien

More About the Project

This artwork was commissioned by the York Region Arts Council and produced in collaboration with Donald Chretien, Nipissing First Nation and Cultural narrative by Ojibwe Elder Shelley Charles, Georgina Island First Nation

Mr. Chretien’s series encompasses his Ojibwe learnings celebrating the seed spreaders and pollinators of Mother Earth. This art piece is designed to invite the observer to be part of the art, be part of the story and to re-connect through photos, art and storytelling.

Mr. Chretien, is a nationally recognized Indigenous fine artist who resided in Newmarket for 30 years and created many connections to York Region through his art. He is working on a new project with the York Region Arts Council and experienceyorkregion.com’s Experience Trail program that will invite folks in York Region to explore, discover and engage in his art and share it through “digital mediums”.

Monica del Rio Pain, Program Curator at the York Region Arts Council (YRAC), is thrilled to commission Mr. Chretien’s series that encompasses his Ojibwe learnings of the Medicine Wheel and celebrates the seed spreaders and pollinators of Mother Earth. The circular shaped art pieces are designed to provide people the opportunity to be part of the art, be part of the story and to re-connect with York Region through photos, art and storytelling.

“The Experience Trail is all about re-connecting people through York Region’s diverse attractions,” Ms. Pain said. “We want to create an experience that celebrates all there is to do across the region and encourage art as a way to share and connect these experiences with each other in a safe way.

To discover the other locations for the YR Experience Trail Markers visit www.experienceyorkregion.com/experiencetrail/

More about the Collaborators

Donald Chrétien,

Indigenous Artist, Nipissing First Nation A.O.C.A

Don was raised in North Bay, Ontario, near Nipissing First Nation. He later resided in York Region, Newmarket for almost 30 years. A graduate from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Chretien worked as a commercial artist and designer for many national and international accounts but found his own pathway in the visual arts when he met and was mentored by Elder, Writer and Scholar, Basil Johnson. From his teacher, Don learned to become a visual storyteller and to respectfully translate Johnson’s centuries old tales through his paintings and prints.

In 2009 he was selected to be part of the Aboriginal Art Acquisition Program for the 2010 Olympic Games where he was commissioned to create a massive 80-foot installation piece for the Vancouver Olympics titled ‘Mother, Friend, Small Bird’ which is on permanent display in Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum and part of the Vancouver Art Registry.

In 2011 Grey Roots Museum exhibit: “The Good People: Know Our Stories, Know Us” where he designed a series of colorful symbols, or doodems. The Good People is a recipient of a 2010 Ontario Museum Association Award of Excellence and a 2011 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums, Honourable Mention in the History Alive! category. Now part of the Heritage Interpretation Department at Grey Roots Museum.

He also created 10 totems along the Tom Taylor Trail in Newmarket were commissioned in 2014. Many of his work is exhibited on several sites across Turtle Island

In June of 2018 Don took part in the Ontario Government’s reconciliation project and sculpted a tree, which has toured around the province.

Since 2018, Don has been teaching art courses at the McMichael Gallery and been part of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection VOICES program and he has travelled to schools for close to 10 years in York Regional School Board, but also a couple fly-ins in Northern Ontario, Deer Lake and Poplar Hills.

To learn more about Don, click here for his longer timeline and bio or visit his website: www.donaldchretien.com

Shelley Charles – Mandakwe

Shelley is Ojibway Anishinaabe from Georgina Island First Nation on Lake Simcoe.  She is a graduate of Horticulture Science and Masters of Indigenous Philosophy from 7th Generation Institute in Fort Frances, Ontario and the World Indigenous Higher Education Consortium, (WINHEC).

As Elder, Advisor and 1st Dean of Indigenous Education & Engagement at Humber College, Shelley led and developed the Indigenous Resource Centres at Humber College, Indigenous Knowledge and gaining the Award of Excellence in Indigenous Knowledges, Colleges and Institutes Canada, 2015.

Shelley’s first teacher was her grandmother who taught her how to harvest food and plants as medicine and has used this knowledge in the restoration of Indigenous plants; designing medicine gardens (McMichael/Humber Arboretum//Clearwater) and teachings on the land. Working with Elders & knowledge Keepers she has developed contemporary land acknowledgements within cultural markers on the land; restoring the use of Indigenous place names along the Humber river waterways.

Recently, Shelley was Project Lead for Indigenous Women in Agriculture with the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and was promoted to Cultural Advisor and Instructor for the School of Aviation, First Nations Technical Institute, (FNTI) in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. Shelley works with corporations and Indigenous consultants across Canada as an Advisor and in community engagement teaching Indigenous worldview, culture and language from an Ojibwe Anishinaabe perspective.

The Experience Trail Marker Project

The YR Experience Trail Marker project is a collaborative interactive art project designed to re-connect people on the land presently known as York Region through art, illustrations by Indigenous artist Donald Chretien, Nipissing First Nation, cultural narrative by Ojibwe Elder Shelley Charles, Georgina Island First Nation and commissioned by York Region Arts Council, with program lead, Monica del Rio Pain, YRAC’s Program Curator.

CREDIT for ARTWORK:
This artwork was commissioned by the York Region Arts Council and produced in collaboration with Donald Chretien, Nipissing First Nation and Cultural narrative by Ojibwe Elder Shelley Charles, Georgina Island First Nation”

York Region Arts Council

The York Region Arts Council is the only York Region-wide non-profit charitable arts service organization focused on capacity building, creative place-making and community engagement in support of artists, arts organizations and creative entrepreneurs. In order to realize the potential of our services, we work in partnership with the Regional Municipality of York, each of the Regions nine municipalities (Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Aurora, King Township, Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffville, East Gwillimbury and Georgina) as well as other community organizations and businesses.

To find out more please visit: www.yorkregionartscouncil.com

 

More about the Fabricator/Installation

Fast Signs Markham Location

 

Learn more about Truth and Reconciliation – National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation https://nctr.ca/

Native Land – Indigenous Interactive Map https://native-land.ca/

To learn about more Indigenous tourism experiences, visit https://indigenoustourismontario.ca/

Where to find Trail Markers

Moth
The Links
20849 Dalton Rd, Sutton

Butterfly
Township of King, King Heritage & Cultural Centre
2920 King Road, King City

Bee
Town of Aurora, Aurora Town Park
49 Wells, Street Aurora

Hummingbird
Kortright Centre
9550 Pine Valley Drive, Woodbridge L4L 1A6

Blue Jay
Vandorf Community Park
14698 Woodbine Avenue, Stouffville

Unveiling Date: March 4, 2023

#ExperienceYR

#Throwback to one of our #monoprinting workshops 🖌️

Create your own one of a kind monoprints at our next Art Exploration workshop!

🗓️ Tuesday, June 27
⏰ 1:30 - 3:30 PM

Click the Art Exploration Series link in our bio to learn more!

#latchamartcentre #experienceYR #yorkregion #YRarts #stouffville #ontarts #printmaking
...

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Don't miss out on the final performances this weekend of the marqueetp show - The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy! Tickets can be purchased online at: https://marqueetp.com/ #Aurora #YorkRegion #marqueetp #loveaurora #experienceaurora #experienceYR #YRArts #yorkregionarts #musicaltheatre #performingarts #addamsfamily #addamsfamilymusical ...

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We are thrilled to announce the Inaugural Winner of Our Park Community Art Grant to debut in Ada Mackenzie Park in June, YRAC member Zoe Kwan is the recipient.

Created to incubate local community arts initiatives, Our Park is a new funding program conceived of, and funded by, Markham Public Art, and managed jointly with York Region Arts Council.

Kwan’s project, Carnival of the Arts, will be presented in Ada Mackenzie Park, in Markham, on Saturday, June 24 with two performances at Noon and 6 PM. Sunday, June 25 at 1 PM is the alternative rain date.

For more information on Zoe and the grant visit: #linkinbio

#YRArts #OurPark #ArtGrant #Markham #Artinthepark #artist #ExperienceYR
...

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