Artist creates sculptures with northern flair

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Despite the particularly problems artists face north of the 60th parallel, Dolphus Cadieux is well on his way to becoming internationally recognized as a carver and as a painter.

Born and bred in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Cadieux is a Metis artist who has learned to overcome the remoteness northern artist's often face.

"The North is pretty isolated, there's not too much of an art community here.

I'm usually working in isolation. I go south quite a bit just to keep up. I go to the galleries."

Cadieux developed additional links to the art world when he attended the Alberta College of Art in Edmonton. He lived in Edmonton for 10 years after his family left their Latham Island home in Yellowknife.

But in addition to his college education, Cadieux lived off the land for several years.

"I went out to the bush for four or five years and did my university there," he said. "I feel very comfortable in both worlds."

Cadieux believes northern artists started to build bridges with one another in an effort to end the isolation.

"In Yellowknife for instance, there seems to be a lot of community between the artists who are here now," he said. "There's been a lot of formation of groups, especially in the last few years. Before that, everyone was working as individuals but they're starting to get together now."

Cadieux uses both acrylics and oils when painting, and likes to work on large canvasses. He enjoys the change painting gives.

"I feel that sculpture is very physical whereas painting is not as physical, it's not as aggressive. You hammer away at sculpture, painting is more mellow."

When in Yellowknife, Cadieux works out of a studio that is tucked into the rock of Pilot's Monument in Old Town. Cadieux has earned the rare distinction of being able to say that he is fully supported by his artwork and has been involved in many different projects over the years.

"I've had quite a few shows, lots of group shows. I've travelled to Quebec City and Ottawa for the Winter Carnival and snow sculpture. It's a paid way to get out of Yellowknife and it's fun, you get to go down with a group of people.

"It's lots of physical work and there are teams from across Canada. I also got to be a judge for the internationals which was funny because these artists all had 30 years experience in art and here I am judging them."

Cadieux also does painting workshops with fledgling artists to teach them basic skills and help them contact other artists. He is currently participating in Arts From The Arctic show which includes pieces of art from Alaska and Greenland. The show will tour in Europe next year.

Cadieux's plan for the future include the completion of a sculpture of recycled anchors and a 3.6 meter-high sculpture of discarded leg hold traps. The sculpture using the traps is still in the initial planning stages.

"I am working on the proposal now but I've had the idea for four or five years. It's going to be a monumental project. It's a dedication to trappers because the trappers of this country are the ones who opened it up. That's how Canada evolved.

"I've done trapping before, I've lived that lifestyle before so I know how it feels to be setting traps at -40C. I want that lifestyle recognized." Cadieux predicts the sculpture will take at least one year to complete.

If one thing can characterize this multi-medium artist it would be the size of his art.

"I try to use a lot of different mediums like recycled steel and local stone like granite and marble and wood and I've experimented with bone. I do mosaics. A lot of it is abstract but the base is derivative from nature.

"My subjects are derived from natural forms and surroundings. Art is an individual thing and you develop your own way of expressing things and working intuitively. My style is all over the place. It's a progression, everything seems to evolve.