Sunday January 2nd, 2011 The Indian That Became A Thunderbird

If you visited the Mary J.L. Black Library recently, you may have noticed something missing from the lobby area wall just inside the front door. The large tiled mosaic that has hung on this wall for the last 45 years has been taken down for restoration.

This mosaic mural by Fort William Artist, Ruby Owen, is based on a painting by Norval Morrisseau. It depicts a man transforming into a Thunderbird and is called The Indian That Became A Thunderbird. The mural is a strong representation of Mr. Morrisseau’s painting and Mrs. Owen was successful in finding nearly exact colour replicas in coloured glass and ceramic tile. According to an article in the Times Journal on Nov. 19 1965 the mosaic contains 27,000 tiles.

The artist Norval Morrisseau was born in Fort William in 1932. He is the first Eastern Woodlands artist to translate his culture (that of the Anishnaabe or Ojibway people) visually, through acrylic paintings, prints and drawings. He invented the pictographic style, now used by three generations of Aboriginal artists. The painting upon which the Thunderbird mosaic was based, was created in 1964 or earlier. It must have also been quite close to the time when he was solidifying his pictographic style and beginning to incorporate the bright colours that would become his trademark. Mr. Morrisseau’s contribution to Canadian Art was profound. He was a member of the Order of Canada, the Royal Canadian Academy of Art, a holder of the Eagle Feather (the highest honour awarded by the Assembly of First Nations), and a Grand Shaman. He had numerous connections to the Thunder Bay area.

Ruby E. Owen, was born in Fort William, locally educated and graduated from Fort William Collegiate. She worked in oils, clay and mosaics. She was also an art and craft teacher and entrepreneur. Ruby opened the first craft and hobby store in Fort William in 1948 with friend Iris McMullin. Originally called Ryry Arts, the name of the store was later changed to Ruby’s Creative Arts. It was located on Brown Street for many years. Ruby also had her own Saturday morning program on television called Ruby’s Craft Hour and offered arts and craft classes in her shop for neighbourhood children.

The Thunderbird mosaic took Ruby a year and a half to complete. It was installed in the lobby of the Mary J.L. Black Library on Nov. 18 1965. On Dec. 14 2010 it was carefully removed from the wall and placed in the auditorium of the library. A local art conservator will be working on restoring the mosaic. Many years of accumulated dirt have dulled the original colours of the tiles. Once the mosaic has been cleaned and restored it will be hung in the lobby of the new Mary J.L. Black Library, currently under construction, on Edward Street South.

During the process of planning the new branch, it was agreed that something needed to come from the old library to connect it with the new one. The mosaic was chosen unanimously. It represents a link from old to new, as well as a connection to the City of Thunder Bay and specifically to the Westfort and First Nations communities. So when you join us in celebrating the opening of the new Mary J. L. Black Library later this year, pause in the lobby and take a moment to appreciate the history, work and achievement found in the Thunderbird mosaic.

Sources: http://cybermuse.gallery.ca; Article from the Times Journal Nov. 19, 1965; Meaghan Eley Conservation Report March 15, 2010; http://www.realrufus.com/rubys/art.html.

Helen Cimone
Public Services Assistant at the Mary J.L. Black Library