| Allen Sapp was born on the Red
Pheasant Reserve in northern Saskatchewan. While still a
youngster his grandmother, Maggie Soonias, encouraged
him to paint and continued to be the inspiration for
many of his paintings during her lifetime and even to
this day.
Allen Sapp has been recognized
nationally, and internationally, for his paintings of
life on the northern plains as well as works depicting
the culture of his people, the Cree. In 1975, he was
honoured by election to membership in the Royal Canadian
Academy of Arts "in recognition of his outstanding
achievements in the visual arts field." Since then
he has been acknowledged not only for his painting
abilities but also because of his contributions to
society, as a man proud of his Indian ancestry, his
culture, and his Cree language. He was named Officer of
the Order of Canada, one of the first recipients of the
Saskatchewan Order of Merit, and in 1996 honoured by the
Saskatchewan Arts Board with the Lifetime Award of
Excellence in the Arts. Three books have been produced
with reproductions of his paintings, as well as numerous
film documentaries relating to his life and artwork. In
1994, "Kiskayetum - Allen Sapp, A
Retrospective," opened at the MacKenzie Art Gallery
in Regina, toured various cities in Canada, and closed
at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in 1996. With the
encouragement of James Kurtz, Allen Sapp painted very
large pieces in preparation for the travelling
exhibition "Kiskayetum".
Many of his paintings portray
the culture and life of the Cree people, including
Powwows and other activities, while others depict people
involved in cutting wood in the bush, children playing
hockey outdoors on small patches of ice, or his
grandmother feeding the chickens. Sapp has managed to
capture the beauty of a prairie winter sunset, the white
glistening snow on a cold winter day or the dull grey
sky, in November when the days are short in duration and
sunshine.
Allen Sapp's work is
represented in major private and corporate collections
throughout the world, as well as in the permanent
collection of the Allen Sapp Museum, North Battleford,
Saskatchewan. The museum is the legacy of the late Dr.
Gonor, who was his friend and patron for many years.
On March 12th, 1999, Allen Sapp
was honoured as the lifetime Achievement recipient of
the 1999 National Aboriginal Awards at the Centre of the
Arts in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Lifetime Achievement
Award is the Aboriginal Community's highest honour
bestowed upon its own achievers. In May 1998 the
University Regina conferred on Allen Sapp "the
degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa." Allen Sapp
has humbly accepted these many awards saying it is for
his people "the Cree" and he hopes that it
will give confidence and encouragement to the young
people. |
