Born in 1954 in M'Chigeeng (formerly West Bay) on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, John Eric Laford (1954–2021) was a celebrated Anishinaabe artist whose work profoundly explored his cultural heritage, stories, and legends. Laford drew inspiration from the rich traditions and captivating stories of the Ojibwe Anishinaabe First Nations. As the grandson of hereditary Chief Dominic Migwans of Anne Commanda, his artistic journey was deeply intertwined with his ancestral roots and cultural legacy.

Laford brought the visions, stories, and legends of his elders to life through magnificent paintings. He worked with diverse materials, including paper, birch bark, canvas, pine, cedar, and pipestone, creating poignant studies of creation that encompassed spirits, elders, animals, birds, and plants. His vivid colours and intricate geometric compositions vividly narrated the interconnectedness of the animal and spirit worlds.

From 1989 to 1990, Laford was selected as one of only two First Nations artists by the Canada Council's Visual Arts Section for the National and International Studies Art Program. A Canada Council award enabled him to travel across Canada, the United States, and Spain, where his talents were evaluated by the prestigious P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Centre in New York. From 1995 to 1996, Laford was a sessional lecturer on Ojibwe art and culture at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie.

Laford's paintings are featured in museums across Canada, the U.S., and Australia and are part of private collections worldwide. From 1977 to 2010, his work was exhibited internationally in cities across the U.S., including New York, New York; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Petoskey, Michigan. In Europe, his exhibitions were held in Vienna, Austria; Fribourg, Switzerland; Bad Nauheim, Hesse, Germany; and Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain. In Canada, his work was showcased in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Montreal, Quebec.

Notable Exhibitions:

• 1982: Spirits in the Rock, MOA (Museum of Anthropology), University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
• 1989-1990: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, New York, U.S.A.
• Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• 1989-1990: Canadian Museum of History (formerly the Canadian Museum of Civilization), Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.
• 1989-1990: P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Centre (now MoMA PS1), Queens, New York, U.S.A.

Laford’s legacy endures as a vivid testament to his talent, culture, and storytelling, celebrating Anishinaabe traditions and the interconnectedness of all life.

The World is your canvas™