Patrick Hunter is a two-spirit Ojibway artist known for his Woodland art-inspired paintings and graphic design project. He has drawn attention to his Indigenous heritage through high-profile corporate collaborations that include the creation of the visuals for the Chicago Blackhawks’ land acknowledgement video. For National Indigenous History Month, Hunter partnered with Toronto-based Canada Canoe Paddles to design four artworks to adorn a limited-editio release of 300 paddles — a maple leaf, a feather, a hawk and a turtle. Hunter reflects on the project’s inspiration and connecting with his Indigenous heritage through refining and teaching his craft. 

On his style and influences

Woodland art refers to the rough region of northwestern Ontario where it came out of. “Woodland” is not a culture; it’s just an art movement. The Ojibwe, the Oji-Cree and the Cree, they’re all part of Anishinaabe. There’s different dialects of French, but it’s still called French. There’s 94 languages spoken among First Nations people, and the culture varies — it’s kind of similar but still has its own flavour.

One of the important things to realize about Indigenous artwork is to come at it pretending you have X-ray goggles on, and you’re able to see the spirit or soul of whatever it is you’re looking at. In my culture, we believe everything has spirit, so I design with that in mind. You’re seeing the spirit of whatever it is you’re seeing.

When I was really first getting going, the Canadian Group of Seven — A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris — they were big influences on my work, too. I kind of feel like I’m a little bit of a lovechild between the Woodland art form and the Group of Seven.

I grew up in a little town called Red Lake, Ont., seeing his Norval Morisseau’s artwork and other Woodland artists’ artwork as well. Red Lake is kind of ground zero for where that art form really began.

On the project’s origins

Mario [Zeskoski, Canada Canoe Paddles founder] came to me and said, “I’d really love to work with you.” More and more companies are coming onto the idea of reconciliation, but meaningfully — they want to create an impact and work with someone who has a message and a reason for the work that they’re doing. The paddle hasn’t only been used by Indigenous cultures for thousands of years, but also by other cultures to get around. It tells a story in itself: the importance of mobility on lakes and streams.