Untitled (Owl)
16.75 x 15.75 x 0.75 in (42.5 x 40 x 1.9 cm) including frame
As a resident of Kenora and later Winnipeg, Dr. Jerry Litman (1928 - 2020) brought a genuine excitement to collecting works of Indigenous art that reflected the communities in which he worked. Dr. Litman practiced as a dentist in remote areas of Ontario and Manitoba where there was limited access to dental services, and worked with Indigenous communities in these areas.
It was through this work that Litman encountered many remarkable artists, including Josh Kakegamic and Norval Morrisseau. With an eye for quality and a love for this flourishing art movement, Dr. Litman collected over 250 paintings by First Nations and Inuit artists.
Much of the Litman collection has been dispersed among museums and university collections close to the family's heart, notably the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and "The Muse" - Douglas Family Art Centre in Kenora.
Collins Campbell
1961 - 2022
Collins Campbell, also known by his Indigenous name Wawatay, was an Ojibway painter born on November 5, 1961, in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. He was raised in the remote northern fly-in community of North Spirit Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario.
As a self-taught artist, Campbell drew primary inspiration from his Anishinaabe (Ojibway) heritage, oral traditions, and the spiritual legends shared with him during his childhood. His visual imagery frequently featured northern wildlife and sacred iconography, such as eagles, wolves, loons, buffalo, and spirit figures executed in traditional Woodland-style compositions.
Campbell eventually relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he maintained his studio practice for several decades. He worked predominantly in acrylic and ink on heavy paper stock, wood, and canvas. Campbell lived and worked in Winnipeg until his death on July 20, 2022.