SCARCITY & ABUNDANCE

The First People of this land knew and understood very well how the life-cycles of the four legged ones affected one another. The long lines that run throughout the piece depict this connection of everything to everything else. One such closely connected pair is the lynx (pizheu) and the hare (waboose). In the picture, one can see these two framing a large circle — Mother Earth. In the centre of the earth is rendered a lake and forested shoreline depicting the wilds where the lynx and hare reside. Underneath and to the left of the water there are seven short lines of descending heights. This represents the seven-year cycle of the "boom-and-bust" nature of the hare population, which in turn, determines the number of lynx since they rely on the hare as a staple food. When there are many hare, there are more lynx; few hare, fewer lynx. Theirs is truly the story of 'scarcity and abundance.'
 
Mark Nadjiwan ~ the Artist and the Art 

The subject matter and style of artist Mark Nad)iwan are predominantly inspired by his First Nation heritage. He is a self-taught artist who works primarily in pen and ink. His unique style is a fusion of the Woodland and Northwest Coast Native art traditions. In his work, one can often see the Woodland's characteristic x-ray and wavy line motifs interwoven with the clean formlines and geometry that often typify Northwest Coast art Mark's First Nation roots are grounded in the Lake Supenor and Georgian Bay regions. He continues to live in the traditional territories of the Amshmabek Nation with his artist wife, Patricia Gray. Mark's w'ork can be found in galleries and venues across Canada as well as private collections in both Canada and the United States.

Artist's Statement

"Although I have a deep and abiding affinity for w hat my Anishinabek ancestors called 'keewaydinung' - land of the northwest wind - my experiences of our vast and wild regions are. ultimately, trans-cultural in nature. Whenever 1 travel into those ancient and sacred spaces, path underfoot or paddle in hand, it is my 'internal' experiences of being there that I later try to 'externalize' in my drawings. I choose to do this in a style that is largely derived from the artistic traditions of Aboriginal people as they are the ones whose lives have been most intertwined with the natural world and whose images and stories most resonate with me But the messages that 1 try to incorporate and communicate in much of my work such as connection, interdependence and unity, are universal." 

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