I Am YEG Arts: Arsene Arcand

Arsene Arcand is stone carver from Kipohtakaw (Alexander First Nation #134) in Treaty no.6 Territory who has just been named the City of Edmonton’s fourth Indigenous Artist-in-Residence. Through this program, the City showcases the work of talented Indigenous artists in partnership with the Edmonton Arts Council, the City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Relations Office, and Indigenous artists and Knowledge Holders. In this week’s I Am YEG Arts feature, we chatted with Arsene about how he got his start as a stone carver, where he draws inspiration for his work, and what motivated him to apply to be the City’s next Indigenous Artist-in-Residence. 

Congratulations on being named the City of Edmonton’s next Indigenous Artist-in-Residence! What is it about this opportunity that drew you to apply?

I try to go about my life following my intuition and following what feels right, and that’s what pulled me to apply for this program. I was looking at [the program], and it was really wonderful to see the work the EAC and the City did for the past artists in residence. I really felt like my work would be a good fit and that the opportunity reflected what I’m trying to accomplish with my work – being inclusive and trying to add to a community. That’s what drew me to that program in the first place. The program is tailored to the artist for the sake of art. 

Is there anything that you’re really excited to explore or try during your residency? 

I’m excited to try some new materials. I want to try getting into some wood carving. It’s a little different and it has some challenges and its own demands within the discipline. And working with different stones would be really amazing too. We’ll see where the residency takes me. Maybe there will be a couple exhibitions in the near future. 

You’ve said before that you draw on traditions and your cultural background as a nêhiyaw (Cree) artist. How does your Indigenous heritage influence your artistic practice and what’s the creative process like for you? Where do you usually begin? 

Typically, I start from where the stone is; as an artist, I try to meet the stone where it’s at, and I try not to put my preconceived ideas onto the stone. It’s got its own shape and colour, and I feel that it’s very important as an Indigenous artist to respect that and to honour that I’m working with a spiritual thing that comes from the earth. 

I’ll take a look at the stone and discover what the different parts look like and how they connect. I’ll go through that process, and then I’ll wipe it clean and start again until it feels right. Drawing from my background, a lot of inspiration comes from stories that I grew up with, stories from my late grandfather and his buddies – who I adopted as my mushums, as my grandfathers. A lot of inspiration comes from sitting in ceremonies and on the land with those old guys. I refer to them a lot when I talk about my work and the inspiration that comes with that. 

Tell us about the materials you work with and why you’re drawn to them. How did you learn the craft of stone carving?

I learned stone carving from my uncle when I was eight. I would go and sit with him, and I’d hang out and just watch him. There’s a word in our language, nôhcâwîs, it means ​“my little father” which is kind of like that uncle that has the responsibilities of a dad, but on a smaller scale. He was like that for me, and he still is. He got me to start my first piece when I was eight, and I procrastinated and procrastinated. It took me two years to finish it; I just couldn’t sit still. I gave that piece to my mom. I really feel like my mom appreciated what I did at the time when I was just a kid, and I fed off of that a lot as an artist throughout the years. That’s one project that contributed to my practice in a really meaningful way.

As far as the materials go, typically the workability of the stone is so nice, to the point that it is almost like carving wood, but with the stiffness and rigidity of stone. It’s got this really cool quality about it that I really like. On top of that, there’s a lot of different lines and specs of different minerals and colours in the stone that I really enjoy working with. I love bringing that out, especially towards the end of the process. 

What inspires your work? What role does storytelling play in your carving?

Every time I pick up a stone to make something I try not to go in with too much of a plan, and I try to bring out whatever the stone already is. I try to keep the process as natural as possible, meaning the colours and the shape of the stone will dictate the project. I try to keep a certain flow to the piece and make sure that all the different portions of the artwork connect with each other. I think as far as storytelling goes, it’s really about symbolism. Symbolism is very important in all cultures, and sticking to those symbols within my artwork, especially with the Indigenous scope and lens, is really important to who we are as a people.

Where can people see your work in Edmonton and the surrounding community?

I have a lot of work at the Bearclaw Gallery downtown. Jackie Bugera and the team are wonderful. I would recommend going to see them and seeing all of the wonderful artists that they support and showcase. You can also see my work in Canmore at the Avens Gallery. Betty is a wonderful human being as well; the team there is wonderful and they have an assortment of incredible artists in the gallery. I’m just happy to be part of those amazing galleries.

About Arsene Arcand

Arsene Joseph Alexander Arcand is a nêhiyaw (Cree) Indigenous Artist from Kipohtakaw (Alexander First Nation #134) in Treaty no.6 Territory. Arsene utilizes his background of traditional and cultural experience to draw inspiration into his art form and style. He was introduced to soapstone carving from his uncle, artist — Leo W Arcand; and has utilized many different forms of art since his childhood, including painting and sketching.

Arsene was raised with the nêhiyaw (Cree) way of life by his late grandfather, spiritual leader and hereditary chief of Alexander First Nation, Arsene Joseph Arcand Sr. Since then, Arsene has had multiple carvings commissioned from organizations and various other projects for personal collections. Arsene continues to work with a soapstone medium to express the story of each stone as it comes to be told and shared with others around Turtle Island.