Linus Woods (born June 3, 1967) is a Manitoba Aboriginal artist known for his spirit animals and Indigenous cultural themes which express his spiritual journey.

Early life

Linus Woods was born in 1967 to

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...

and

Ojibway The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

parents and is a Dakota/Ojibway artist. He grew up in the

Long Plain First Nation The Long Plain First Nation ( oj, Gaa-ginooshkodeyaag) is an Ojibway and Dakota First Nations band government whose reserve is located in the Central Plains Region of Manitoba, Canada. Its reserve lands include the Long Plain Reserve #6, the Keesh ...

in Southern Manitoba. He is a self-taught artist, who took some art classes at

Brandon University Brandon University is a university located in the city of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, with an enrollment of 3375 (2020) full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students. The current location was founded on July 13, 1899, as Brandon Co ...

. He also studied informally with

Jane Ash Poitras Jane Ash Poitras LL. D. D.Litt (born 1951) is a Cree painter and printmaker from Canada. Her work uses the idioms of mainstream art to express the experience of Aboriginal people in Canada. Life Jane Ash Poitras was born in Fort Chipewyan Alber ...

Art

As an artist, he began travelling across North America in 1994 to gather Aboriginal native legend and folklore. At times "he lived with people who spoke only in their native language and practiced a traditional way of life." His paintings have often featured animals, especially those related to Aboriginal spirituality. His has also worked in the creation of public installations. Some of his most regarded work involve the encountering of UFOs during traditional Aboriginal settings. He has exhibited in both US and Canadian cities, and is represented by the Bearclaw Gallery in Alberta. Woods's works are in the collections of the

Canada Council The Canada Council for the Arts (french: Conseil des arts du Canada), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It acts as the federal government's principal i ...

Art Bank and Peace Hills Trust. In 2002 he also exhibited at the Inuit and Indian Art Gallery in

Hull, Quebec Hull is the central business district and oldest neighbourhood of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadia ...

, in 2003 he exhibited at the Image Makers First Nation Art Exhibit in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, and in 2010 he exhibited his work at the

Winnipeg Art Gallery The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is an art museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Its permanent collection includes over 24,000 works from Canadian, Indigenous Canadian, and international artists. The museum also holds the world's largest collect ...

. He now resides in

Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anchor ...

, where he has served as the Artist in Residence at Highlands Junior High School. He has been a recipient of grants from the

Manitoba Arts Council , type = Council , formed = 1965 , headquarters = 525 – 93 Lombard Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3B1 , budget = $10.2 m CAD (2020) , chief1_name = Roberta Christianson , chief1_position = Chair , chief2_name = Randy Joynt , chief2_position = Exec ...

and the

Indian and Northern Affairs Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

department of Canada.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Linus 1967 births Living people 21st-century Canadian artists 20th-century Canadian artists Brandon University alumni Artists from Manitoba Indigenous artists in Canada Canadian people of Ojibwe descent People of Sioux descent