Local father of six supports family with original artwork

Local artist decorates living rooms Watch: An artist from Muskowekwan First Nation has made a career out of creating Indigneous inspired artwork. Creeson Agecoutay explains.

Since Dallas Gordon was a child, creating art has always been a part of his life.

“Kids would want to go run around and play but I would sit there and draw,” said Gordon.

While people are waking up to go to work, Gordon always keeps a paint brush in hand and has canvases and sketchpads on the ready, constantly thinking of his next art piece.

“I always paint and draw every second day. You got to have a lot of patience and you can’t get frustrated or else it’s not going to happen. Painting is hard, especially with all the blending,” added Gordon.

Gordon recently created a lifelike, eighteen by eight foot mural in his cousin Merlin Wolfe’s living room. It depicts what home looked like for many Indigenous people before contact with tipis aligned alongside a forest, people travelling by canoe and the animals and spirits connected in unison. Gordon also created his own version of Mount Rushmore.

“The big eagle came first and whatever we said, I put on there. It just clicked. I added a bunch of wolves and then Mount Rushmore with Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph and Chief Poundmaker,” said Gordon.

“Anything he does, all his carvings, he’s a very talented kid and a very good entrepreneur. He’s a really good role model for other young painters out there,” added Wolfe, Gordon’s cousin whose living room is full of Gordon’s artwork.

Originally from the George Gordon First Nation, Gordon didn’t become familiar with the paintbrush until the 1990s when he attended boarding school in Lebret. A teacher decided to take him under her wing.

“She taught me how to do things right hey? Not to just jump ship on all of your fundamentals hey?” said Gordon.

Gordon then furthered his skills at Studio Saskatoon and studied at the Saskatchewan Centre of Emergent Technologies. He also became the first Indigenous graduate of the University of Saskatchewan’s Computer Graphics and Animation. He's currently decorating homes and living rooms on the Muskowekwan First Nation, where he lives with his family including his six children.

Now 40 years-old, Gordon says he is now content with being a stay at home father and raising his kids. He provides for his family by selling his paintings on the go, whether it’s at the local gas station or at the nearby towns, cities or powwow.

“I just want to have no worries, play golf and relax. Make sure my family is all taken care of. I also want to go to Spain in Fall and sell my art there and come back and buy some big log cabins for my family.”