Cardinal has strong artistic drive

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At 39 years of age, Cardinal is finally gaining long sought recognition and acceptance in his chosen field of endeavor. A Metis and self-taught artist from the small community of Fishing Lake, Cardinal has no regrets for not having completed his high school education. After all, and more importantly he is doing what he likes best to do. In pursuing a vocation in art, he has proven to himself as well as others that education isn't always everything and that one does not necessarily need it in order to be successful.

Although Cardinal did not come to public attention until he was 31, the pace has not slowed down for this gifted connoisseur of art. In 1978, he took first place in an art contest sponsored by the Federation of Metis Settlements. Since then, there has been no looking back.

His works now hang in business offices, with Native organizations, and at Calgary's Glenbow Museum. Some have been private sales while others have been specially commissioned pieces. Some are in North America, others are in Europe.

More recently, Cardinal was selected by Business Assistance for Native Albertans Corporation (BANAC), to have his work exhibited and marked at Expo '86 in Vancouver.

"It was a chance for me to get ahead and do what I want to do ? prints," said Cardinal. This opportunity could not be ignored even though a number of Native groups in Canada were advocating a boycott of Expo. While in sympathy with and supportive of Haida Indian efforts to prevent the logging of their lands and forests, he also "has concern for our Native artists for whom Expo could very well be a once in a lifetime opportunity to realize or pursue success."

Cardinal readily admits that each of his accomplishments are "important and unique in their own way" but his 1978 one-man show at Edmonton's Eagle Down Gallery (now closed) holds a special place for him. Perhaps it is because it was where the had his first major showing. Regardless, he doesn't think he can "top that."

Most of his work utilizes pencil, ink, and/or water colors. His subjects are usually people, Metis people, Elders, women, men of war, and hand game participants ? and more recently, must of his art is done in ink-pointillism. Through the application of this technique, Cardinal creates artistic pieces by applying thousands of tiny dots to form a visual impression on paper.

At present, Cardinal works out of Edmonton where he has lived since 1979. He markets his art through BANAC which has recognized this man's fine talents and are endeavouring to assist him in his career.

The art world is not an easy road and has similarities to the music and the acting business. As he works, he waits for the "big break" to come but odes not sit back and wait for it to come to him. AS with anything else, he acknowledges the fact that if you want something out of life, you have to go after it. It will not automatically come to you.

And so, his drive to accomplish continues. The Indian Health Centre at Saddle Lake commissioned him to do five pieces. Currently, he is preparing illustrations for a book by Dwayne Desjarlais about a fictional hunter-trapper name Hugh McCall. An exhibit of his has just returned from the Toronto Native Business Summit. Future ones are slated for Calgary Exhibition and Stampede and a showing at Banff. After that ? who knows.

One thing we do know, Cardinal views his art as a means of portraying the culture and history of his people, the Metis. He enjoys meeting people and likes people to have examples of his work, not for monetary reasons but to experience the satisfaction of knowing that people have his art because they appreciate it.