Talent a natural gift from the Creator

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"There are so many things all of us have - something we can do others can't. It's just a natural gift from the creator."

This is how Saddle Lake's Lawrence Large describes his artistic abilities which include sketching, designing logos and greeting cards, illustrating books and painting acrylics.

Being involved in the Saddle Lake Cree cultural program for the past 13 years Large has had the opportunity to work on and design interesting and popular projects for the community.

"I did an annual illustration (children's) book which at the same time served as a coloring book. The names of the animals were written by the picture in Roman script, Cree and English," said Large. The book was used in the Cree language programs at Saddle Lake and in surrounding schools. As he flipped through the pages of the children's book, he mentioned a story book he worked on.

"I did story illustrations as told by the elders," said Large. That book was also used for school teachings.

In the early 80s Large illustrated portrait calendars using various themes for his subjects. One year he did portrait sketches of the former chiefs and another year it was wild animals. Each year the calendars were very will received.

He said most of his ideas for drawing just seem to appear. He begins with an idea and the rest comes later.

"I might begin by thinking of one thing and the rest just materialized naturally," says Large.

He referred back to a national poster contest on nutrition he entered in 1956 while attending Blue Quills Residential School. Three posters were chosen from the school, including one of Large's , judged first in Edmonton then in Ottawa. His poster depicted a fat man talking to a thin man. One wore a carrot feather in his hair. It won first place and he pocketed $100 prize money which he shared with the class.

Large, 48, doesn't find time to do a lot of drawing these days since a graphic artist was hired for the cultural program but a few of his pieces appear in greeting card form and are available at the Saddle Lake Cultural Museum where Large is Curator. The winter scenes done in pencil crayon offer detailed sketches of a deer and church scenery. Another shows the three wise men as Indians.

The father of five plans to pursue his talent by enrolling in the Native artists' programs this fall at AVC Lac la Biche. He also talks about a future project in his home where he want to paint a prairie scene on his living room wall.

"It's a real gift to be able to draw."