Native Trauma Art

VERY EXCITED TO HAVE @christene.rowntree APART OF THE SHOW THIS FRIDAY!
She is also Live Painting at the Dream Big event Thurs eve in Clinton!
Christene is a Toronto based artist who concentrates on shedding light on her native roots. She is of Cree decent and is a survivor of the residential school system. In her work the viewer will become soon aware of her history, which fluctuates between beauty and pain. She has found in the artistic process immense healing for her depression and anxiety. She was ridiculed and bullied because of her disability. At a young age she knew if she could paint or draw, it would help cradle the weight of societies judgements. “It takes a toll on you to always be told you are not able, or not welcome, and this is what I would like to see changed, and I think art is a great language to challenge that ideology. It’s a language all walks of life can speak. I was paired with Montina when I was part of an organization called Artists Without Barriers. Montina was my scribe. A scribe’s role involves facilitating my vision. Because of my disability, it can be difficult to do the smallest tasks. Montina physically and mentally supports my artistic process. It takes some time, but I always get the results I want. She has to be patient and allow me to have my voice and vision. We worked together for a year until Artists without Barriers shut it doors. Since then we meet weekly and create. I sell numerous prints and have been a part of group shows in Toronto since. We are Abilities Arts Collective and we believe in the innate abilities in all.” -
Christene Rowntree

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