Clemence Wescoupe
Clemence Wescoupe (1951-2018) - Artist Biography
Clemence Wescoupe, of Saulteaux background, was born in 1951 on Long Plain First Nation. His native name is “Ozaa-Bines” which means “Brown Thunderbird”. Wescoupe had a passion for drawing and art-making since he was a child, though it wasn’t until 1976 after years of self-taught practice, that he began to home in on what would become is signature style, a combination of graceful, flowing lines and stylized forms.
As a founding member of the Woodland School of Art alongside fellow artist and friends Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig, Jackson Beardy and Carl Ray, Wecoupe saw much success – his iconic image, Rainbirds, which came out in 1977 was one of the most popular and successful Woodland Aboriginal prints ever created.
Clemence and his Art Agent, the late Nick Lebessis, travelled together in Europe and the United States to promote Clemence’s art works throughout his career. His works were also sold to visitors from around the world in Nick Lebessis’ family run gallery Northern Art Impressions, in Lake Louise, Alberta. Clemence subsequently had two solo shows with the Wah-sa Gallery and in addition to being featured in many group shows, including the June 2003 Freshwater exhibition. Over the years, Clemence went on to have solo shows at the Nicholas Gallery in Ottawa, Gallery Phillip in Toronto, Craft Guild in Montreal, Eagledown Gallery in Edmonton, and solo exhibitions in Frankfurt and the University of Heidelberg. His last solo exhibition occurred at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG), which showcased over 30 of his art works.
Selected Exhibitions:
2003: The Wah-sa Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
2013: “Another View of American Indian Fine Art”. The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, Evanston, Illinois, United States
2016: “Post No Bills” at the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Alberta, Canada
2017: Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba, Canada
Nicholas Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Gallery Phillip, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Frankfurt, Germany
The University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Selected Collections:
The Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
McCord Museum of Canadian History, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Simon Fraser University Gallery, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
The Market Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Artist Specialization: Wecoupe’s command of negative space and the fine flowing elegant lines, reach deep into a cultural artistic tradition of seeking spiritual harmony. Guided with a powerful sensitivity to emotions his art is concerned primarily with spiritual guardianship. Nature in its pure form provides an endless source of inspiration, yet many of its images are familiar and its appeal immediate and profound.
