Norval Morrisseau (1984) The Door to the Astral Plane is always wide open..."

Norval Morrisseau

1984

"The Door to the Astral Plane is always wide open...

 if you know what to look for."

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Owls (timeless) Norval Morrisseau

Owls

Norval Morrisseau

Acrylic on paper, 32” x 20”

“What I teach the people many times is that attitude and attention will determine the whole course of our lives. Get rid of fear and that is all you ever have to get rid of. Fear of anything at all.”

Norval Morrisseau

This quote is vintage Norval Morrisseau. A teaching as deep as it gets. It is literally the crux that my life pivots on.

Norval asked me to ask myself two questions on a regular basis.

What is my attitude?
Where is my attention?... because wherever it is, that is where I'm at.

To this I added two other profound considerations passed on by another "life" mentor, the late Lila Cole, mother of my oldest friend, Garth Cole, who testified at trial on both my and Norval's behalf today.

Am I willing?
Am I able?

Four simplistic questions, until you see them in concert. Spirit ignites and it's magic.

Attitude becomes "altitude".
Attention becomes "intention".
Willing becomes able.... and magic happens.

Norval was a unique teacher. His lessons are unforgettable. They are experiential gifts that develop one's power to "rise" to the occasion. This teaching can be viewed visually as a formula...

So how did it go in Court today? It was magic. WAAA - with a little "Just Be" and a ton of "All is Well". Like a game of chess, court is all very easy at the beginning when both sides lose the odd pawn. It's tough later on in the heat of battle and it finally ends in checkmate on January 11 2011. Bet on Spirit. I am.

I don't know when Norval painted "Owls" but its timeless, isn't it? This is just one of dozens of owl paintings by Norval. What I love about them is how cute they all are. I published this one because I felt like that little owl in court today, keeping my eye on the ball.

The big owl with his wings around me? Why, that's all of you, and your great (spirit) attitude. Thanks folks! You really outdid yourselves. All day I was in a bubble of clarity, peace and something else really extraordinary. It was a wonderful day.

I woke up with the song, "We are the Champions" by Queen dancing in my head this morning. It was there throughout the day. It's still playing in my head in stereo even now. I wonder why?

Stardreamer

Ritchie Sinclair (2008 - 2010) A Protege of Norval Morrisseau - Signs Off



" My eyes are now wide open and I see an overwhelming ever-growing body of evidence that tells me that I absolutely must do what I can to stop this. What I see are dangerous, dark pieces of art, that I for one would not hang above my bed and expect a good night's sleep."

Ritchie Stardreamer Sinclair

October 20 2008

_____________________________________

The defendant was referred to by counsel in their submissions both as Ritchie Sinclair and Stardreamer. The defendant describes himself as the "artistic apprentice" of Norval Morrisseau. Consistent with the allusion to which I have already referred, the defendant expresses a concern that: "Many of the works that are attributed to Norval Morrisseau however, are in fact counterfeit, and have been produced solely for the purposes of capitalizing off of Norval Morrisseau's fame and market value". It seems, from the record, that the defendant has made it his personal concern to identify, uncover, make known and even publicize works said to be those of Norval Morrisseau which he believes are false. In his affidavit, he says: I have no interest in identifying counterfeit Morrisseau paintings other than to perform a public service and to assist in protecting the legacy of one of Canada's foremost artists.

Lederer J.

Excerpt from the Judgment of December 8, 2008

Ontario Superior Court of Justice

***

From October 2008 through November 2010 I published sensitive information about the proliferation of inferior counterfeit Morrisseau art. With the assistance of many (from all sides) who supplied materials, including Norval Morrisseau himself by way of his explosive sworn declarations, we painted a picture.

I have an undeniable faith in "truth" rising to the top. While identifying pieces in the forgery puzzle hasn't solved the problem I take comfort in knowing that the Norval Morrisseau forgery issue is the subject of a comprehensive R.C.M.P. investigation. I expect the very best from them.

The moment has finally arrived to turn my part in this effort over to Spirit and the Canadian authorities and turn my attention toward preparations for a spring exhibition of new art by myself and fellow Morrisseau protege, Brian Marion, to be held at the Lane Gallery in Yorkville.

Images of counterfeit Morrisseau art archived on Morrisseau.com will remain public to guide educators and students. Particularized information identifying forgers, distributors, suppliers and purported sources of fake Morrisseau art will be deleted from my websites. I feel compelled from within to do so.

I have developed a deep appreciation for our little circle of integrity and intent. Our shared desire for authenticity has rippled out to an ethical universe. We can expect results my friends.

May the Blessings Be

Ritchie Sinclair
November 10, 2010

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Death Devourer of Human Flesh (1964) Norval Morrisseau

Death Devourer of Human Flesh

 Norval Morrisseau

(c.1964). Tempera on heavy light brown paper. 81.3 x 142.3 cm.

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Norval Morrisseau (1979) Peace with the Sinclair Family

Peace with the Sinclair Family

- Norval Morrisseau with Ritchie Sinclair's Mother -

Christmas 1979
*

In 1979 Norval named me Stardreamer and I was hired to apprentice with him. From day one Norval was a trusted guide through the world of Spirit. He never let me down. He never took advantage of me, nor did I take advantage of him. Norval and I shared a passion for making art and exploring Spirit.

Norval wasn't old at 47. He perceived himself as a youthful brother - and as a mentor. In 1979 I was 22. Now I'm 53. I've had time to reflect on the mentors in my life. Elders pass on their truth. It is a rite of passage. To a Shaman artist what could be more natural than apprentices? We are talking about fine art and Shamanism. Vocations where hands-on apprenticeship is a must.

A Great Spirit

Ritchie Sinclair

60" x 252" on six panels, acrylic and copper on canvass, 2008

This great artist and this grand shaman in one chose me because I was already worthy. I knew Spirit and Art before I ever met him. I was utterly dedicated to both. Norval (and my family) knew it. As such, Norval and I shared a wonderful friendship over decades.

Norval and I painted a number of paintings together in 1979. We both signed this one and gave it to my youngest brother as a Christmas gift. Norval also gave each member of my family a buffalo-head nickel and sang Christmas carols at the piano with my Grandmothers deep into the night.

Christmas 1979 with the Sinclairs

Ritchie's mentor, Norval Morrisseau, his Aunt, Mother, his Mother's Mother

Middle - His Father's mother and his brothers
Front - Ritchie Sinclair and his dog.

________________________________

To my loved ones. I'm so grateful for having shared life with people who love and respect me. The very best to my Grandmothers, my Aunt and Norvy, who persist only in Spirit. In sweet memory, lovingly recorded, we keep their legacy's nearby, within our beating hearts.

Stardreamer

Nanabajou in Frog Skin connected with the Worlds flood (1968) Norval Morrisseau and the David Voss Letters (2001-2008)

Nanabajou in Frog Skin
connected with the Worlds flood
 - Norval Morrisseau -
Ink on paper, 22” x 30”, 1968
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Mishipashoo (1959) Norval Morrisseau

 

Mishipashoo

  - Norval Morrisseau -

Watercolor and pastel crayon on card, c.1959, 32" x 36"

Collection of the National Museum of Man, Ottawa

NORVAL

The last time I saw you, was the first time
Live, in person
The man
Live, in person
The Artist
Live, in person
The Icon
Live, in person
The Shaman

I walked through your exhibition at the NAG
I felt wrapped in an ancestor’s blanket

You Norval, the great one
You Norval, the innovator
You Norval, the astral traveller
You Norval, set the pace

Was there a race?
For the artworld to behold
To acknowledge the work of your ancestors told
To help the artworld and public understand
The medicine in your paint…is what is at hand
Ahhhhhhhh…look at his colourful work
OMG she faints…
…cuz the paint …

His paint…his paint!!!
Norval’s paint, pushing to and fro
You push the paint Norval with Shaman flair
With ease and grace…oh!! how you care
You pushed the paint across this land
You pushed the paint into the universe
The gallery was full of mind!
The gallery was full of spirit!

Multi hues and figures much
All there on the canvas, or brown paper, blue
All there on the birch bark too
Back to the old stories told
In the land where the ancestor roll
In the land where that spirit lives old

Colour so flash…across the canvas told
Stories of creation and how the people roll
The spirit beings and bears
Xray vision, oh so bare!

A movement you created through art
Grandfather of contemporary Aboriginal Art
You painted the canvas and the gallery beholds
Upon their white walls you showed
An ancient culture painted by a shaman on his ancient homeland
Stories of the land, sky and water too
Complex inter-celestial beings sat across from me to!
That Indian thang! of supernatural beings
Visit our people and bring
Teachings to us to share somehow

You choose the paint
As the paint must
Tell the words of old stories told
Tell the words of land and water as they hold
They hold our stories and ancestors too
Land and water beings all over this place
They connect us to above and below
Ahhhhhhhhhhh….to behold.

Paint the words of those underworlds
Paint the words of those aboveworlds
Paint the words of those supernatural beings
They harken to you to show their appeal
To show they are real
To show they bring gifts with them
For us to live in a certain way

Who will sway?
And listen to land.
Who will sway?
And listen to water.
Who will sway?
And listen to song bird sing.
I swayed so long ago and now I begin.

Turquoise blue you paint the sky
Turquoise blue the being crawled
Turquoise blue that healed so many
Uplift, uplift to the land of plenty?

The land of plenty? What is that?
Have we seen that upon our land?
What happened really? I want to know.
From the north to those ugly schools you go
I learned your story through books
I loved your work through books
I heard people talk about their Norval encounters

The stories that I only heard
Of a man named Copper Thunderbird
Of a man whom walked so gently
Of a man who painted endlessly
Of a man who shook the artworld
Of a man who showed them so

Some got it, what this man has shown
I am altered from how yo shone!!
Shine Norval shine in the land of peace
You!!! up there now…with all those…
Entities?

What shall I call all those worlds?
Swirling, twirling and swirling so
All around us… there you go
The man Norval who created so

Dana Claxton - 2007

 

Agawa Petroglyphs

Ojibway

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Animal Unity (1978) Norval Morrisseau

Animal Unity

 - Norval Morrisseau -

Acrylic on canvas, 50" x 108", 1978

________________________

 - Published in the book, "The Art of Norval Morrisseau" (Pollock 1979) - Pg. 158 -

________________________________ 

Self Portrait - Devoured by His Own Demons (1974) Norval Morrisseau

Self Portrait.

Devoured by His Own Demons

 - Norval Morrisseau -

Acrylic on canvas, 68" x 57", 1974

________________________

 - Published in the book, "The Art of Norval Morrisseau" (Pollock 1979) - Pg. 113 -

________________________________ 

Symbols of the Opposite (1977) Norval Morrisseau

Symbols of the Opposite

 - Norval Morrisseau -

Acrylic on canvas, 68" x 49", 1977

________________________

 - Published in the Art of Norval Morrisseau (Pollock 1979) - Pg. 139 -

________________________________ 

 

Three Generations (1990) Norval Morrisseau and The Academy (2008) by Kent Monkman

Three Generations

Norval Morrisseau

1990, acrylic on canvas - Dyptch - 96" x 48"

_________________________________

This brilliant painting is available to purchase NOW through Principal Morrisseau art dealer Bryant Ross of Coghlan Art in B.C.. Isn't it astonishing that art like this is still available on the open market? Imagine Picasso's like this floating around 3 years after he passed away. This is a museum piece. No doubt about it.

Friends came into town recently from Vancouver and England. I let them use my Art Gallery of Ontario membership card and told them to check out the multi-panel, "Man Changing into Thunderbird" by Morrisseau. I also told them to check out the Rembrandt of Cree artists, Kent Monkman's, portrayal of Norval in a long house, entitled, "The Academy".

The Academy

Kent Monkman

72” x 108”, 2008, acrylic on canvas

Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario

The Academy

 - (Detail of Morrisseau / Vermeer) -

When one great artist paints another great artist into his painting, it says a lot about both artists.

My friends agree with me. Morrisseau's mural in the main foyer of the AGO is the single most dynamically charged artwork at the AGO. So much of the art in the AGO is wonderful in so many ways, including Monkman's awesome work of art, yet nothing rivals Norval's work for pure Shamanic power. i.e. Spirit Medicine.

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Merman Is The Lord And Ruler Of The Water Of The World (1992) Norval Morrisseau

Merman Is The Lord And Ruler

Of The Water Of The World

 - Norval Morrisseau -

Acrylic on canvas, 90" x 48", 1992 , Titled verso by the artist's hand

___________________________

 - Exhibited at the G8 retreat, Huntsville/G20 summit, Toronto, June 2010 -

On view NOW at the Norval Morrisseau 2010 Retrospective

 - Oct 16 - Nov 20, 2010 -

Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto

_____________

"Merman the anchient (sic) half man and supernatural being who is the ruler of all the waters of the world in his protection and power to the individual, both by water and land, was a sought-after protector of the Ojibwa Indian shaman; for it is said that the merman own[s] the element of water in itself very powerfull (sic) to be channell (sic) to that power etc..."

Norval Morrisseau  

Isn't it interesting that this aptly titled painting found its way into the inner circles of World power. Given Norval's "Merman" statement, isn't it profoundly appropriate that they used it? Morrisseaus appear in the Halls of Power because Morrisseau paintings are Powerful....and that's putting it mildly.

Read more about the G8/G20 summits, the Retrospective and Morrisseau in a new article published by Woodland Artist, Mark Anthony Jacobson HERE

Check out a 1968 Merman painted by Norval Morrisseau.

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The Visionary (1977) Norval Morrisseau

Artist With Thunderbird Vision (The Visionary)

 - Norval Morrisseau -

70 inches by 50 inches, acrylic on canvas, 1977

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Christie's caught up as £30m forgeries
send shock waves through the art world

German police hold three suspects after works sold
through leading auction houses are exposed as fakes
________________

Panic is spreading through the art world following the discovery of forgeries among major 20th-century paintings sold in recent years by leading auctioneers and dealers worldwide, including Christie's in London.

More than 30 paintings, thought to be by artists including Max Ernst, Raoul Dufy and Fernand Léger, have been unmasked as forgeries, the Observer has learned. The fakes have duped leading figures in the art world into parting with at least £30m.

Four of the paintings have gone through Christie's, including forgeries of Ernst's La Horde, estimated at £3.5m and eventually sold to the Würth Collection, and André Derain's Bateaux à Collioure, sold for £2m. Six paintings were sold by the leading German auctioneer, Lempertz, one for £2.8m. The forger's strategy appears to have been to create compositions that would relate to the titles of documented works whose whereabouts are not currently known.

Dealers and collectors who have recently acquired works by the artists involved "are shaking over this scandal", one insider said. "They are in a panic over whether their paintings are also forgeries. Everyone's taking a second look." The panic is so acute that collectors are even seeking refunds on unquestionably genuine works.

One expert describes the forgeries as "gold standard". They cover many styles and include works by Heinrich Campendonk, the German Expressionist. Most are in the style of the particular artist, rather than a direct copy. All are believed to have been painted by a German forger over the past 15 years. Police are now investigating whether that forger is Wolfgang Beltracchi, 59, an artist from Freiburg, aided by his wife, Helene, 52, and her sister, Susanne, 57 – women described as "great charmers". All three are now in police custody. Two men are also being investigated.

The deception involved an invented story about inheriting the paintings from the sisters' grandfather, Werner Jägers.

Dr Nicholas Eastaugh, of Art Access and Research, a leading British expert in scientific analysis of paintings, told the Observer that he has seen four of the forgeries and conducted extensive tests on three. The results confirmed that they contain pigments not available when they were supposed to have been painted. One of the paintings, Campendonk's Rotes Bild Mit Pferden (Red Picture with Horses), was sold in 2006 by Lempertz for a record price.

Eastaugh emphasised that the duped buyer has given him permission to discuss the case. A painted sketch on the back of the canvas – suggesting that the artist was trying out another idea – is also a forgery. Clues to a painting's provenance, or history, are often found on the back of a painting. Many of the forgeries have fake labels from galleries or collections to give a further authentic touch, suggesting past exhibitions. The Christie's Ernst is said to bear a false label, "Flechtheim Collection", which aroused the suspicions of the distinguished historian and Flechtheim biographer, Ralph Jentsch. Labels on other works suggest they are from the "Jägers Collection".

One duped auctioneer said: "It's significant that these paintings have been through the sale process before they got to me. They must have been sufficiently convincing."

The buyer of the Campendonk was Trasteco, a trading company in Malta, which is now claiming back the purchase price. The firm is one of two collectors represented by Friederike Gräfin von Brühl, a German lawyer at K&L Gates. She said: "For the art world, this is a big scandal. Everyone is shocked."

Christie's London – which handled alleged forgeries that include Campendonk's Girl with a Swan, sold for £67,000, and another painting that fetched £344,000 – said: "We take any doubt surrounding authenticity extremely seriously and are investigating the matter fully."

Dalva Alberge

The Observer

Oct 17 2010

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Norval Morrisseau proteges Ritchie Sinclair and Brian Marion (1994)

Norval Morrisseau chose Brian Marion and Ritchie Sinclair to seed with enhanced artistic vision over extended periods of time. I have now known Brian for more than three decades. I consider him my beloved brother. I know that Norval loved and appreciated him too.

Ritchie Sinclair and Brian Marion

The Omega Centre - Toronto - 1994

In front of a Stardreamer original entitled., The Offering"

_____________________

Brian is a profoundly intelligent artist with commanding composition skills that present core teachings of Spirit within a traditional framework. I find his work exhilarating. He has so much to offer. He is also a fine teacher. Unfortunately he struggles with diabetes related illnesses, including phantom pains from the loss of a leg last year.

In spite of that he paints on. I witnessed him working on a new 8' x 4' canvass the other day. I hope one day people realize that saturating the Woodland art market with Morrisseau fakes has been extremely detrimental to Woodland art and artists in general. Brian Marion is a case in point. How sad that greed so often gets in the way and worthy people suffer because of it.

This whole fiasco of the fraudulent mis-use of Norval Morrisseau's identity leads me to consider the merit of removing identity from those who don't deserve it because of their atrocious acts.

One receives an Indian "name" because they deserve it...and are it. What if in like kind, for crimes against humanity, monsters lose their identity entirely,

For example, what if nine years ago "the People" had removed Bin Laden's identity from society, adding him to a list of revoked names? He would henceforth be known only as K-1454. In Ontario we have current news headlines about a predator confessing to his sickening acts. He receives notoriety and a thrill because of it. Monsters like this should go down in history as mere numbers and letters without meaning, or family. Excommunication from humanity is unfortunately, a reality.

Should people who steal the identity of others pay with losing their own identity? I don't think so. Its too high a price to pay. Still...It makes one consider the value of identity and the ruthlessness of stealing something so sacred from another.

I look forward to the transparent humanity of the future and an end to power-tripping in all its forms. We can be better than that.

The Meeting Place Mural

1994 - First International Pow Wow - Skydome - Toronto

Thunderbird School of Shamanistic Art

Ritchie Sinclair and Brian Marion
_____________________

"The aboriginal-inspired mural by Star Dreamer (aka Ritchie Sinclair), consisting of 28 linked canvas panels, was created as the centre piece of the lst Toronto International Pow Wow at the Skydome in Toronto in l994. Ritchie occupies a unique place in the Canadian pantheon of artists as the Scottish - lineage protege of Ojibway shamanistic artist Norval Morrisseau. The mural depicts the native legends of the formation of North America , contrasted with Toronto's contemporary architecture, like the CN Tower." It is 20th century Canada's version of the native totem pole," says Ritchie. It includes a cameo contribution by fellow Morrisseau protege, native artist Brian Marion and remained on view at BCE Place to mid-April. "

Artfocus Magazine

Spring 1997

THE MEETING PLACE CONSISTS OF 28 SEPARATE, STRETCHED, CANVASSES, WHICH TOGETHER, CREATE A UNIQUE ARTISTIC INSTALLATION - THE MURAL TOOK 5 YEARS TO COMPLETE AND HAS BEEN PAINTED WITH A VARIETY OF ACRYLIC MEDIUMS THAT REACT SPECTACULARLY UNDER DIFFERENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS - THE MURAL, IN FACT, WILL GLOW IN THE DARK, TO REVEAL THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE GREAT SPIRIT, SYMBOLIZED.


THE ARTWORK ITSELF STRETCHES 21 FEET ACROSS AND STANDS 16 FEET IN HEIGHT THE CANVASSES ARE SQUARE, YET THEY ARE HUNG IN A DIAMOND-LIKE FASHION SYMBOLIZING. THE 4 DIRECTIONS, THE 4 SEASONS, THE 4 STAGES OF LIFE, THE 4 RACES, THE 4 KINGDOMS IN NATURE, THE 4 BODIES OF SENTIENT LIFE, THE 4 ELEMENTS, AND THE 5TH ELEMENT SYNTHESIZING THEM ALL... THE GREAT CREATIVE SPIRIT.

Note: The mural entitled, "The Meeting Place" and the painting above entitled, "The Offering" are amongst art that was stolen by Randy Potter Auctions of Port Hope colluding with Centron Self Storage of Toronto.

Stardreamer

Norval Morrisseau's (1983) Androgyny and Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper stands in front of Norval Morrisseau's painting "Androgyny" during the start of the cabinet shuffle at Rideau Hall in Ottawa in October 2008. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

_______________________

 

Shaman with Medicine Powers (1978) Norval Morrisseau

Shaman with Medicine Powers

 - Norval Morrisseau -

acrylic on canvas, 1978, 71" x 41"

___________________

(Portrait of Brian "Little Hummingbird" Marion)

__________

2009 Endorsement of Ritchie Sinclair

written by Brian Marion

Filed in Otario Superior Court - August 2010

___________________

Loon & Fish (c. 1970s) Norval Morrisseau

Loon and Fish

- Norval Morrisseau -

SILKSCREEN; SIGNED, TITLED AND NUMBERED

- Available through Waddingtons -
______________________

Thunderbird (1987) Norval Morrisseau

Thunderbird

 - Norval Morrisseau -

Acrylic on canvas, 36" x36",1987

 - View "Thunderbird" at the Norval Morrisseau 2010 Retrospective -

Oct 16 - Nov 20, 2010

 - Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto -

_______________________

After the Bear Dance (1997) Norval Morrisseau

After the Beardance Ceremony

The MicMichael Canadian Collection - 1997

Norval Morrisseau performed a Beardance Initiation on Sept. 28 1997. It took place on the grounds of the McMichael Canadian Collection in Kleinberg, Ontario. Protege, Ritchie Stardreamer Sinclair and spiritual son, Gabe Weekan Vadas, took part. This film shares what transpired after the Beardance. The following passage describes this film and provides a transcript of Morrisseau's address to those present.

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Copper Thunderbird completes the sounding of the drum. Bear is laid to rest. Stardreamer expresses his appreciation to the Grand Shaman and returns the Kodiak Bearclaw that Copper Thunderbird presented to him when Stardreamer accepted Bear as his Shamanic guide seven years before.

Copper Thunderbird places his hand on Stardreamer's forehead to ordain him. He places the ceremonial headdress of the Grand Shaman on Stardreamer's head to empower him.

Assistant Shaman, Weekan, thanks Bear who is then placed at Morrisseau's feet. Morrisseau removes Weekan's Shamanic headdress and places it on Bear. He gifts Stardreamer's Bearclaw amulet to Weeken and then speaks to those gathered....

Thank You people

The Blessing is free. We won't charge you

We don't generally do this in public.

I am a Grand Shaman. This is like when the bishop comes to his chuirch and gathers his priests to ordain.... the ones that he is going to ordain.

He's a Shaman...
Mind you this guy's a Bear and we are going to ordain the Bear as well.

Our people a long time ago... had these types of ceremonies that weren't too public.

And the reason why they did it... it was an earth renewal ceremony. Everything renews itself because we are too polluted. Everything that we breath. Everything that we eat. The only thing I guess that's not polluted yet is our Spiritual environment. But it is our duty to maintain and keep that environment intact... if we ever get it polluted.

So each individual person that views the ceremony can interpret it in his own way...to give him an idea

Its the same thing as a person who goes to see a picture inside the art gallery. It is nice to sell those pictures, but yet the real purpose is for someone to look at the paintings.

I don't know how many of you people ever have Technicolor dreams but in that Technicolor world that we have inside each one of us... every time you look at my pictures or the colors,... the colors especially... not the images...it brings out that Indianess in you...

For we are only here to bring out more Indianness.

Norval Morrisseau

1997 Beardance Ceremony at the McMichael Canadian Collection

Quail Family (1973) Norval Morrisseau

Quail Family

Norval Morrisseau

1973, acrylic on artist board, 33" x 22"

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One autumn I watched Norval climb up a country fence and deliver a lengthy speech to thousands of turkeys. They were far off behind a hill in the distance. You couldn't see them except for a few heads bobbing here and there until Norval climbed the fence.

With an exhilarating haste the hoard descended down the hill at breakneck speed to greet Copper Thunderbird. I was shocked. Norval laughed. They all seemed very interested in what he had to say so he gave it his best shot. His speech included a climax and an epiphany.

Norval was euphoric about the episode for days. The turkeys had responded to him and he appreciated it immensely. Why? He knew where they were going and he felt that he had assisted in providing them safe passage. He told them not to be afraid. That they had done well. That they were beautiful and strong. That they were all great souls. That people would be better because of their gift. He told them they were special turkeys and he knew that because he was there speaking to them.

He put his great big heart around them and blessed each of them. And he kept blessing them through the Thaknsgiving holidays. Years later he would mention them as if to say, "Those were the good old days...the days when I talked to the turkeys." By sharing his sweet memory of that moment he continued to bless their short existence over and over again.

Most people eat turkey on Thanksgiving. Norval talked turkey

Stardreamer

_______________________________

In a 1984 interview Norval brings up the turkeys to make a point about attitude and attention:

Once I lived out in the country where I had to walk two miles to get to a telephone. So I was walking along feeling sorry for poor old Norval and I passed a turkey farm. There must have been over 3,000 turkeys on either side of the road kept back by fences.

As I walked by, I began to be aware of the sound of one turkey after another as I walked and they conversed. I thought of St. Francis and wondered if he really talked to the animals or was it the vibrations from this magnetic force within us.

The more I thought of that the more I forgot about anything else. I just had a chat that made me more aware that we are just a molecule within a molecule in the body of God. That allowed me to forget my own radiance and that's what I'm talking about. The thoughts just stop coming into your consciousness. That's what I mean about my painting coming from somewhere else.

I'm just as simple as anyone else - and maybe more so and there isn't anything that I can't do. Wherever your imagination goes your mind is sure to follow.

Norval Morrisseau

1984

The Great Rabbit Nanabozho (c. 1969) Norval Morrisseau

The Great Rabbit Nanabozho (Untitled)

Norval Morrisseau

acrylic on paper, 24" x 16", c. 1969

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Through contrast beauty is experienced and consciousness realized. This is the Shamanic path which Norval identified as the "razor's edge".

Without evil, compelling acts of conscience from us, we remain in stasis. Merely ignorant angels. Divine, yet passive, spectators. Where would Christ be without the contrast? I relished studying Buddhism as a science but I don't see the love in it. Love is action. Turn water into wine. Bathe your lover's feet in essential oils. Heal the sick. Rage against shady priests and businessmen. Dream the dream and share your Visions.

Do something....Do anything of the sort and you can count on contrasts appearing on the distant horizon.

Norval Morrisseau was the quintessential Pisces. It comes as no surprise to me that this "grand gesture" of lower astral plane Shamanism would arise from the bowels of the Earth.

Envision the great horned snake, laden with its pouch of magic medicine (karma) purified by the brilliant light (bite) of Copper Thunderbird who "shines like seven suns". Without the snake there is no medicine. There is no need for the "Superman within".

This is the high drama that authentic Shamanism creates. It's so Norval.

This battle between fake and authentic is the trickster in action. This is the shape-shifter transforming reality. This is the great teacher, MC, artist, co-creator and founder of the Grand Medicine Lodge doing its thing. This is the Great Rabbit. Host to the heavenly host. Have a peek at Norval's epic mural, "A Separate Reality". Do you see Nanabozho running the show?

Nanabozho Pictograph

Bon Echo

We must wrap our wings round this forgery duality. When Jesus said, "Get thee behind me Satan".he didn't mean, "Die Satan". He just wanted him put in his place - and so it is with forgers and forgeries. We want them put in their place.

The imminent result of all this is that our special friend, who we are so incredibly proud of, will take his place beside the other great masters, just as Gabe predicted on National TV in 2006.

A large part of the credit for this emergence must go to the moths attracted to Copper Thunderbird's light. By their acts of indiscretion they have incited a potency I call "the Norval Morrisseau effect".

Two years of my life have been devoted to ensuring Norval's work lives on. Far more years of effort and concern on the part of Bryant, Gabe and many others.

As an example, Don Robinson comes to mind. The many battles this man has fought few know about though we all know about the unwarranted abuse he has taken for a decade. The bravery and fortitude of mind to pick himself up after that and create multiple Expert Reports and testify is commendable. He deserves medals, but for his effort and for associating with me he got sued. Not once but twice!

This is the Norval Morrisseau effect. People going beyond the call of duty and common sense to assist. New people with strength of soul arrive with increasing regularity. The truth is coming out. Norval Morrisseau's brand of Shamanism is unstoppable. To a Grand Shaman "Truth" is a very BIG word.

Stardreamer

Mother and Child (c.1992) Norval Morrisseau

Mother and Child

Norval Morrisseau

acrylic on canvas

This stunning painting is available as a limited Edition serigraph.

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The Legendary Omish-shoos (1971) Norval Morrisseau

The Legendary Omish-shoos

Norval Morrisseau

Ink and acrylic on paper, 15x20inches, 1971

View "The Legendary Omish-shoos" at the

Norval Morrisseau 2010 Retrospective
Oct 16 - Nov 20, 2010
Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto
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Great artists are seers who have the ability to reach both ahead and back in time while still maintaining relevance to an everchanging present. Norval Morrisseau was a supreme visionary whose legacy will endure forever.

Greg A. Hill

Shaman Transforming With Bears (1986) Norval Morrisseau

Shaman Transforming With Bears

Norval Morrisseau

Acrylic on canvas, 47.5x29.5inches, 1986

View "Shaman Transforming With Bears" at the

Norval Morrisseau 2010 Retrospective

Oct 16 - Nov 20, 2010
Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto
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Algonquin Park = Bear Country

Sunshine (1985) Norval Morrisseau

Sunshine

Norval Morrisseau

Acrylic on canvas, 72" x24", 1985

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Astrology was foundational to Morrisseau's metaphysical philosophy. It provided him with symbolically charged imagery to re-interpret nature's cycles as they expressed themselves in his life. To Morrisseau Astrology was a very personal science.

"Sunshine" was an energy Copper Thunderbird required. He identified "Sunshine" as the First Cornerstone, the Spring Solstice, the Aries and the Morning Star. "Sunshine" heralds emergence, hope and the beginning of a new cycle of inspiration.

This archetype was Morrisseau's ecstatic muse and an essential driving force in his work. The portrait above entitled "Sunshine" is a snapshot of "Tala", glorified into Godlike status by Morrisseau. This painting was created at the Richmond Street Morrisseau Studio in Toronto, 1985.

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Badasan, Grand Shaman of the Medicine Society (pre. 1825) before Copper Thunderbird

Sacred Scrolls of the Grand Shaman

of the Midewiwin Society

Notes on Ojibwa folklore (1889) by W. J. Hoffman

Once every seven generations Grand Shamans incarnate to provide a visionary continuum synthesizing the past with the future. They produce a comprehemsive record of the human experience in the here and now to guide future generations on our collective sojourn.

Copper Thunderbird's artistic blueprints were created to predict, inspire and guide humanity through the next 200 years or so. Will our vital blueprints be lost to a tidal wave of fakes?

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Ancestral Figures with Spirit Helpers (1978) Norval Morrisseau

Ancestral Figures with Spirit Helpers

Norval Morrisseau

acrylic on five canvass panels, 1978

From the permanent Collection of the City of Toronto

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Norval Morrisseau: 2010 Retrospective - October 16 - November 20, 2010

Norval Morrisseau: 2010 Retrospective

Kinsman Robinson Gallery

October 16 - November 20, 2010

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Bears with Children (1985) Norval Morrisseau

(Untitled) Bears with Children
Norval Morrisseau
c. 1985, acrylic on canvass, approx. 48" x 96"

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The art of the con:

Canada a hub for art fraud, theft
  

Canada has become a hub for art theft, fraud and smuggling, yet it lacks police and prosecutorial muscle to combat those crimes, according to an article coming out in next month's Canadian Criminal Law Review. Bonnie Czegledi, an international art and cultural heritage lawyer in Toronto, writes that art-related crimes generate billions of dollars around the world, rivalling the trade in drugs and weapons.

"There's a patina of loveliness of the pieces themselves. It's hard to imagine it could be a dirty business," Czegledi said in a recent interview.

"But they can take as ugly of a route to the marketplace as guns or cocaine."

Czegledi said Canadian law enforcement agencies should follow the FBI, which in 2004 created a team of specially trained investigators across the U.S. to deal with all forms of art crime. Three prosecutors were also assigned to the team.

The team played a key role in the arrest last week of a New York man, Thomas A. Doyle, in a high-profile fraud case with a Canadian connection.

According to court documents filed in Manhattan federal court, Doyle negotiated with a Japanese investor and a Vancouver-based broker to purchase "Portrait of a Girl," a painting by French artist Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, from a third party for $1.1 million.

The investor agreed to pay $880,000 and hold 80 per cent ownership interest in the painting, while Doyle agreed to pay $220,000 for 20 per cent interest. They would then re-sell the painting for a profit.

But unbeknownst to the investor and broker, Doyle, who has a previous grand larceny conviction, is alleged to have earlier negotiated with the third party to purchase the painting for $775,000, court documents say.

The art trade is a very specialized field and having investigators who know how to analyze art pieces and understand the marketplace has been hugely beneficial, said Bonnie Gardiner, program manager of the FBI's art theft program.

"Normally, when an art theft takes place, if you don't find the perpetrator in a few days, it may take years, sometimes generations, to get the work back," she said.

In Canada right now, there are four specially trained art-crime investigators — two with the RCMP and two with the Quebec provincial police — located in Montreal. They joined forces in September 2008.

Two members of the team are studying part-time to get art-history degrees.

While they offer assistance to investigators across the country, their work is primarily focused on art crimes committed within Quebec.

Last week, the team secured the conviction of a 52-year-old Quebec City man, Richard McClintock, who had imitated the paintings of well-known Quebec artists and passed them off as originals.

Quebec provincial police Sgt. Jean-Francois Talbot said McClintock sold two paintings to a gallery for about $3,000 each, claiming that they were originals by Montreal artist Marcel Barbeau. But gallery staff became suspicious and contacted authorities.

Ninon Gauthier, Barbeau's wife, said she knew instantly that they were fakes.

"It was so unusual. It couldn't be his work. The way he paints is like his signature. Even the signature was fake," said Gauthier, who is an art historian and critic.

"It's frustrating because, first of all, if people are selling bad paintings with my husband's signature, it affects his reputation. They're intruding in his market. It's not good for the artist, it's not good for the dealers, and it's not good for the collectors."

When police raided McClintock's apartment, they found 85 other forged paintings. Had they been originals, they would have had a commercial value of $1.5 million, police said.

McClintock was sentenced to eight months of house arrest and was banned from entering any art gallery in Quebec for two years.

While Gauthier is happy with the conviction, she says more needs to be done to deter art criminals. Expanding the number of art-crime investigators would be a start, she said.

"The problem must not only be in Quebec," she said. "I'm sure there are some fakers in Toronto and Vancouver. There is a need for such teams."

Sgt. Pat Flood, a spokeswoman at the RCMP's national headquarters, said the agency has not made any decisions about expanding the program beyond Quebec.

"Since this initiative is only midway through its inaugural period, the RCMP feels it would be premature to comment on its merits at this time," she said.

Czegledi said Canada doesn't just need more specialized investigators; it also needs prosecutors and judges to get tougher on art criminals.

In 2008, several gold pieces by the late Haida native artist Bill Reid were stolen from the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology and then later returned. No charges were ever filed in that case, Czegledi writes in her article.

Robin Baird, acting spokesman for the Crown prosecutor's office, said Tuesday there was not enough evidence.

Czegledi also cites a case from 2006, in which a pair of 18th-century gem-encrusted slippers that had belonged to the first Prince of India were stolen from Toronto's Bata Shoe Museum.

Prosecutors had pressed for jail time for the thief, Miko Petric, but the judge sentenced the man to 18 months of community service and six months of house arrest instead.

"White collar criminals respond to fear of incarceration," Czegledi writes. "Until the negative consequences of stealing cultural property become more severe, the illegal trade will continue to thrive."

Art crimes in the headlines:

• - May 2008: Several gold pieces by late Haida native artist Bill Reid were stolen from the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology and later recovered. No charges were filed due to "insufficient evidence."
• - Sept. 2009: Thieves broke into a Yorkville, Ont., gallery and made off with rare paintings by Quebecois artist Pierre Gauvreau and valued at more than $50,000.
• - May 2010: Five paintings, valued at more than $100 million, were stolen from the Modern Art Museum in Paris.
• - Aug. 2010: A Van Gogh painting called "Poppy Flowers" and valued at $50 million was stolen from a museum in Cairo. Several were charged.
• - Aug. 2010: Reports surface that 21,000 Bulgarian antiquities, including coins and jewels, were seized in Montreal. As of Tuesday, Department of Canadian Heritage officials were still unable to confirm any details.
• - Aug. 2010: A Greco-Roman marble bust that had been smuggled into Canada was returned to Egypt.
• - Sept. 2010: A Quebec City man was sentenced after selling imitation paintings as originals. His forged paintings, if real, would fetch $1.5 million, police said.
• - Sept. 2010: A New York man was arrested on suspicion of orchestrating the fraudulent purchase of "Portrait of a Girl," a painting by French artist Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. A Vancouver broker and Japanese investor were duped in the deal, police said.

Douglas Quan

Postmedia News

September 14, 2010

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Don Robinson (2009) Examination for an Expert Report on a purported Norval Morrisseau painting

Don Robinson inspecting the discredited painting

At the Offices of Richard H. Baker - July 2009

 Photograph filed in the Superior Court of Ontario - August 2010

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Norval Morrisseau with Ritchie Sinclair (2006) On the opening night of Shaman Artist at the National Gallery of Canada

Norval Morrisseau with Ritchie Sinclair

At the National Gallery opening - 2006

Man seeing visions (1974) Norval Morrisseau and the Morrisseau Family Foundation

Man seeing visions

Norval Morrisseau

Silkscreen, 25” x 20”, 1974

Legal Copyright 2010

The Norval Morrisseau Estate of Gabe & Michele Vadas

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Norval Morrisseau and Gabe Vadas (2006) at the National Gallery opening of Shaman Artist

Gabe Vadas and Norval Morrisseau

addressing those invited to the opening of Shaman Artist

at the National Gallery of Canada in 2006

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Collectors sue gallery over disputed painting

Morrisseau, maybe: Ottawa couple says uncertainty over authenticity of coveted artist's work may cost them dearly; gallery 'stands by the authenticity' of painting

The late Norval Morrisseau, Canada's most celebrated aboriginal artist, was known to be a great painter but a lousy speller. So Mr. and Mrs. Browne of Ottawa were not initially concerned when the Morrisseau painting they bought from Edmonton's Bearclaw Gallery in April 2007 arrived with the following title scrawled on the back: "Grandfather Speaks of Great Ansistrail Warrior."

The painting, supposedly done by Mr. Morrisseau in 1977, is generally known today at the Toronto court house and in various eyebrow-raising websites as Grandfather Speaks of Great Ancestral Warriors. Shortly after paying $25,000 for the 58-inch-by-61-inch neon-coloured painting, the Brownes uncovered some news far more troubling than a spelling mistake.

Mr. Morrisseau himself, according to documents filed in Ontario Superior Court, is alleged to have declared the painting a fake in 2006 in an e-mail to Heffel, an art auction house that was trying to sell Grandfather Speaks on behalf of the painting's then owner, Joseph Otavnik, an Oshawa art collector. These documents say that Heffel then withdrew the painting from the auction.

But is the painting really a fake?

Mr. Morrisseau's word back then, when he was seriously ill with Parkinson's disease, was not accepted as gospel by everyone. So maybe the painting is real, after all. It depends upon whom you want to believe.

The Brownes, who tell their story on a website they created, are not calling the painting a fake but they are concerned about the uncertainty over authenticity and have filed a suit in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto to recover the cost of the artwork from Bearclaw.

"The fact that the painting had been identified by Morrisseau himself as a fake and withdrawn from auction, served to destroy the ... value of the painting to the plaintiff and to any other subsequent purchases," says a statement of claim filed Jan. 15 by Mr. Browne in Ontario Superior Court.

The painting, Mr. Browne told the Citizen, represents "a huge investment for us and the loss of this investment has significant negative implications for us, wiping out a significant portion of our savings."

Bearclaw has yet to file a statement of defence. In an e-mail to the Citizen, Bearclaw director Jackie Bugera declined to comment on the case, except to say: "I remain very confident that we will be successful in defending this claim."

The problems swirling around the Brownes' painting are not unique in the multi-million-dollar Morrisseau art market. More than two years ago, the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society, a group of six Morrisseau experts from such institutions as the National Gallery of Canada and Canadian Museum of Civilization, issued a statement warning the public about fake Morrisseaus for sale, especially on the Internet.

The exact number of true Morrisseau paintings and the quantity of fakes circulating is difficult to ascertain, at least in part because of the late artist's erratic life. He spent years as a street person, selling works privately rather than through galleries.

The Brownes' case is not the only one before Ontario Superior Court in Toronto. A defamation suit has been launched by five dealers in Morrisseau works against Ritchie "Stardreamer" Sinclair, a self-described Morrisseau "apprentice" who operates a website, www.morrisseau.com, in which more than 1,000 so-called Morrisseau paintings are labelled as fakes.

Some paintings that have appeared on Mr. Sinclair's website have, at times, been listed for sale by the dealers, including Bearclaw in Edmonton. In support of an affidavit filed Jan. 5 in Ontario Superior Court, Mr. Sinclair has filed with the court notarized statements by Mr. Morrisseau sent to four of the five dealers in the last few years of the artist's life listing specific fakes he said they were offering for sale.

The accuracy of Mr. Morrisseau's statements has not been tested in court nor has evidence been submitted to show how the galleries responded to Mr. Morrisseau's complaints. However, one of the five dealers, Joe McLeod of Maslak McLeod Gallery in Toronto, told the Citizen he withdrew from sale all the paintings questioned by Mr. Morrisseau.

The controversies over the Brownes' Grandfather Speaks began in 2006 when the painting, along with some other Morrisseaus owned by Mr. Otavnik, were listed for auction with Heffel.

According to Mr. Sinclair's Jan. 5 affidavit, Mr. Morrisseau and Gabe Vadas, the artist's "adopted" son and business partner, sent an e-mail Sept. 12, 2006 to Heffel declaring the works to be fakes. The affidavit says Heffel subsequently withdrew the art from the auction. The affidavit also says Mr. Otavnik later placed Grandfather Speaks with Bearclaw Gallery. The Brownes saw the painting on Bearclaw's website and bought it. "We were struck by it," said Mr. Browne in an interview.

Bearclaw is an established Edmonton gallery selling First Nations works since 1975. The gallery's roster of stars includes some of the biggest names in aboriginal art, including Daphne Odjig, Alex Janvier and Jane Ash Poitras.

Ms. Bugera has declined to be interviewed. However, before the launch of the Brownes' suit, Ms. Bugera e-mailed a statement to the Citizen in which she said the gallery "stands by the authenticity" of Grandfather Speaks and another Morrisseau painting Mr. Browne and his wife, also known as Julie Witmer, bought there. Both husband and wife hold PhDs and operate an Ottawa consulting business.

"Over the course of selling Norval Morrisseau works over the past 30 years, Drs. Browne and Witmer are the first customers who have ever questioned the authenticity and provenance of our paintings," Ms. Bugera wrote. "As with any other customer, Bearclaw Gallery has treated Drs. Browne and Witmer in a manner not inconsistent with the standards expected of any other fine art gallery in Alberta."

Ms. Bugera said the gallery was initially prepared to exchange Grandfather Speaks upon learning of the Brownes "specific reservations." That position changed after "the great lengths" the Brownes took to express their "dissatisfaction." The prospect of any "exchange or refund" was removed from the table. After the Brownes launched the suit against Bearclaw, Ms. Bugera said she could not comment on a matter before the courts.

The Brownes say they have been unable to find anyone, including art galleries specializing in Morrisseau works or experts at the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society, willing to sign a document saying the painting is real or a forgery.

The heritage society is trying to assemble a list, or catalogue raisonne, of all true Morrisseau works. In the meantime, the group is refusing, publicly at least, to label what is real and what is fake.

In an interview with the Citizen earlier this month, Mr. Otavnik said he had offered to refund the Brownes their money for Grandfather Speaks. But there was a condition.

"They told me that members of the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society called it a fake," Mr. Otavnik said. "I said, 'Perfect; put that in writing and I'll refund your money.' They never did."

The Brownes produced no statement in writing from experts, says Mr. Otavnik, "because I could sue those people."

Mr. Otavnik does not accept the statement from Mr. Vadas and Mr. Morrisseau that the painting is a fake. Some people, Mr. Otavnik says, are declaring painting fakes as a way of "controlling the market."

Reached by telephone at his home in Nanaimo, B.C., Mr. Vadas refused to comment on any aspects of the Morrisseau controversies saying he did not want to unleash more "harassment" against him. Mr. Vadas did invite the Citizen to send him written questions. That was done. But, in an e-mail, he declined to answer any of them.

Authenticating Morrisseau paintings has been complicated by the fact the Art Dealers Association of Canada issued a notice March 13, 2007 saying its members would no longer issue "certificates of authenticity" of the artist's paintings and that the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society is "the sole authority for the authentication of works by Norval Morrisseau." But the society won't issue signed statements either.

So, where are the alleged fakes coming from? Various prominent figures in the Morrisseau art market accuse each other of involvement in the production of forgeries. Then, there are the seemingly wild accusations that organized crime is churning out Morrisseau fakes from "factories" in Thunder Bay, that these "artists" are being paid in illegal drugs and that money-laundering is involved.

The Brownes say they went to the Ottawa police in November with their concerns over the authenticity of Grandfather Speaks and were told not to expect any feedback for three months.

Lawsuits and inflammatory websites abound in the Morrisseau art market. Mr. Otavnik, for example, won an out-of-court settlement against Mr. Vadas for $11,000 after the Heffel intervention in 2006. The settlement, which did not involve the painting eventually purchased by the Brownes, has been interpreted in vastly different ways by the parties involved.

Mr. Otavnik's conversation with the Citizen was peppered with insults directed at many prominent players in the Morrisseau drama. Some of his harshest criticism was directed at the Brownes. He is also no fan of Mr. Sinclair and has launched a suit in Small Claims Court in Whitby seeking damages that he says Mr. Sinclair's website and Kinsman Robinson Gallery in Toronto have done to his business.

Mr. Otavnik is not part of the much larger defamation suit by the five art dealers against Mr. Sinclair, who claims to have worked with Mr. Morrisseau for several years before the artist's death Dec. 4, 2007. However, all five art dealers, in affidavits filed in court, say Mr. Otavnik was the person who first notified them of Mr. Sinclair's website.

A statement of claim filed Dec. 17 in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto by the dealers says Mr. Sinclair's website is "causing real and substantial harm" to their businesses by scaring off customers. The dealers include Joseph McLeod of Maslak McLeod Gallery in Toronto, James White of White Distribution Ltd. of Caledon, Ont., Donna Child of Artworld of Sherway Gallery in Toronto, Sun Nam Kim of Gallery Sunami in Toronto and Jackie Bugera of Bearclaw in Edmonton.

"Sinclair's actions against the plaintiffs have been reckless, vindictive and malicious," the statement of claim says. "Sinclair has made no attempt to examine the paintings in question or to review the plaintiffs' evidence of the authenticity of the paintings. Instead, he has recklessly made bald allegations of fraud based solely on viewing images of the paintings displayed on the Internet. Sinclair has either knowingly posted falsehoods or he has shown a reckless disregard for the truth of his allegations."

The dealers' accusations have not been proven in court and Mr. Sinclair has yet to file a statement of defence. However, in the Jan. 5 affidavit he filed with Ontario Superior Court, Mr. Sinclair discussed his years of working with Mr. Morrisseau in various locations, studying the style and content of his paintings.

"Because of the fact that I am one of the very few people who have worked alongside Norval Morrisseau and I have been trained by him, I am in a unique position to be able to identify methods and aspects of paintings that have been attributed to Norval Morrisseau in order to assess whether they are genuine or not," the affidavit says. "I know things about his brush strokes, his use and choice of paint, his creation of lines, his selection of subject matter and his basic methods, which all serve to distinguish genuine Morrisseau paintings from counterfeits."

Justice Thomas Lederer issued an interim ruling Dec. 8 on the art dealers' request to "close down" Mr. Sinclair`s website. The judge said the website could remain in operation, at least for now, but warnings had to be posted on the site saying that the opinions were solely those of Mr. Sinclair and are the subject of a defamation suit. Mr. Sinclair has complied with that order. The case is scheduled to resume March 17.

Meanwhile, the Brownes' website also contains an image of another supposed Morrisseau painting, Bear and Berries, the couple also bought from Bearclaw. Their research has led them to wonder about the authenticity of that painting as well. Details surrounding Bear and Berries have yet to be posted on the Brownes' website. But stay tuned. This story is far from over.

Paul Gissell

The Ottawa Citizen

January 22, 2009