Sweetgrass Artist Added To Wall Of Fame

Sweetgrass Artist Added To Wall Of Fame

Monday, May 05, 2008 at 13:40

A Sweetgrass First Nation man has been posthumously inducted into the Frontier Mall Wall of Fame in North Battleford.

Artist John Henry Fineday passed away in 2006 at the age of 32.

His uncle, Lyndon Tootoosis, accepted the award on his behalf on Saturday.

Tootoosis hopes the fact his nephew is in the Wall of Fame will encourage other First Nations youth to pursue positive things like art, instead of getting into trouble.

According to his uncle, Fineday’s art bridged a gap between First Nations and non-First Nations cultures.

Tootoosis says Fineday linked traditional materials like rawhide and sinew, using modern welding techniques.

Fineday is best known for carving the doors of the Elders Room in the First Nations University of Canada in Regina.