Clemence Wescoupe

Posted on August 4, 2019 by canadianbooklady

Long time resident of Long Plains First Nation (Ojibway), Clemence was born there in 1951. Following in the footsteps of contemporaries Norval Morrisseau (Ojibway) and Daphne Odjig (Odawa), he was one of the founding members of the Woodlands School of First Nations art in Canada, and is one of the best-selling and most prominent artists of the genre.

The beauty of Clemence’s work is found in its simplicity. He is a master in the use of negative space, his long and elegant lines sweep the eye across his scenes, his use of colour is bold yet restrained. His subjects are at once both natural and highly spiritual, capturing the essence of the old ways and the keen emotion of their loss and rediscovery.

Clemence Wescoupe was a self-taught artist, and has exhibited his work in Europe and throughout North America. He passed away on 23 December, 2018. He was a good friend to our little gallery and will be missed, not just for his contribution to our collection, but most of all for the stories he was able to share with us of his experiences with the other great Woodlands artists.

We have a fine collection of his work, and will be filling this online gallery over the next few weeks. We hope you enjoy his work, too!