Jedrick Jimi Steven Thorassie | Sheni Aye Desnethe

Ocean North is pleased to announce the opening of a solo exhibition, Sheni Aye Desnethe (Seal River), featuring artwork by Jedrick Thorassie, in partnership with Oceans North and the Seal River Watershed Alliance.

Sheni Aye Desnethe will be displayed at 70 Arthur Street from November 4, 2022, to November 30, 2022.

The opening reception will take place on Friday, November 4, 2022, from 7:00 – 10:00 pm at 70 Arthur Street (main floor). The artist will be in attendance, and refreshments will be provided.

Thorassie is a self-taught artist from Tadoule Lake, Manitoba. He grew up in foster care, mostly in Thompson, Manitoba. He draws and paints in various mediums, including pencil, acrylic, and watercolour. His influence stems from other artists and painters, pop culture and music. His aesthetic is thought-provoking, with subject matter reflecting his Dene culture, natural landscapes, and relevant political issues.
Original artwork will be for sale, with over thirty works, including paintings and drawings of various sizes. A 2023 calendar portraying 12 original images from Thorassie’s exhibition will also be for sale, with proceeds donated to the Seal River Watershed Alliance.

Oceans North is a charitable organization that fosters science- and community-based conservation in the Arctic and Atlantic regions of Canada, as well as western Greenland. Our goal is to promote policies and programs that address the unprecedented environmental changes taking place in northern marine ecosystems and ensure that they are protected within the framework of Indigenous knowledge, rights
and consultation.

The Seal River Watershed Alliance’s vision is to ensure our grandchildren’s grandchildren have the opportunity to engage in traditional practices such as hunting, fishing and serving as guardians of the land and animals within a healthy watershed. Our goal is to permanently conserve the Seal River Watershed as an Indigenous Protected Area. The Seal River Watershed is located in an Adhesion to Treaty No. 5. Only one community is located within the watershed—the Sayisi Dene—but three other Nations and the Inuit have interests in the area.
Sayisi Dene First Nation is leading an initiative to protect the entirety of the Seal River watershed for our future generations.

For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact Kerri Parnell, Gallery Coordinator, at 204-260-9267 or Kerriparnell.art@gmail.com.