Daedalist

Daedalist examines the theme of human aviation as a visionary undertaking of human ingenuity and purpose. The taut lines of this piloted craft are laid bare to the eye and to the imagination. In-flight between the point of departure and the threshold of arrival, this work of art invites the traveller to marvel at all that is held aloft in our ancient dreams of flight.

The word “daedalist” is an archaic name for a pilot or aviator. The term comes from the Greek myth of Daedalus, a skilled artisan who constructed wings to allow himself to take flight.

Robinson’s sculptures undergo a multi-stage process. The figures and formed patterns are first sculpted out of clay and wax, from which rubber moulds are made. These moulds are then used to cast the final elements in composite resin and bronze. The wood elements were formed using a combination of digital and traditional methods of joinery, from computer numerical control (CNC) cutting the Baltic-Birch plywood to the steam-bending of old-growth Sitka Spruce.

The Fort McMurray Airport Authority commissioned this piece.

Dream Catcher

Its circumference is four feet with sinew webbing, coloured in gold, yellow, white and black. Red beds and horsehair embellishments are included, along with eight eagle feathers tied with red sinew. The design and creation are by Richard Nokohoo, a member of the Chipewyan Prairie First Nation and the community of Janvier, who has been creating dream catchers for over 20 years. He said the colours represent the people of the world and success in life. The horsehair tassels represent strength.

Gifted to YMM by the 2018 Games Host Society, the dream catcher is one of the most enduring and widespread symbols associated with Indigenous culture. Its iconic hoop-and-web formation protects sleepers by “catching” bad dreams while letting good dreams pass through. This gift represents the dreams of the athletes who visited our region in February 2018. 

The large feathers hanging from the dreamcatcher were tied by one Games representative from each of Alberta’s eight economic regions.

This piece was generously gifted by the 2018 Wood Buffalo Alberta Winter Games Host Society.

Sky Dance Series

The paintings were produced by combining metal grinding with automotive airbrushing on aluminum panels. The artist began by grinding the picture into the metal panel, then airbrushing, applying clear coating, sanding, and polishing the piece to transform the metal into a glass-like mural.

Landing on the Snye – A floatplane lands on the quiet waters of the Snye River at dusk. The eagle, one of the largest birds capable of taking flight, is shown as the ruler of the skies. When combined with the Northern Lights, this image represents a magical, spiritual, and timeless symbol of aviation. For many years, float planes landing on the Snye River provided the main access to Fort McMurray.

Spirit of Wood Buffalo – Two majestic wood buffalo stand within a northern boreal forest. An eagle soars overhead in front of a stylized depiction of the Fort McMurray International Airport logo merged within the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). The wood buffalo, the namesake of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, symbolizes abundance, strength, and stability. This piece is intended to evoke a sense of freedom and prosperity.

The Fort McMurray Airport Authority commissioned both pieces.

Sky Explorer

Sky Explorer is a tribute to Fort McMurray’s aviation history. It depicts a floatplane taking off from the Snye River, a base of floatplane operations since the early 1920s. This painting pays homage to early aviation pioneers who plunged propeller-first into the wild, uncharted and challenging terrain of Canada’s northern regions.

The swooshing strokes symbolize the meeting place of the curving Athabasca and Clearwater rivers, which have played a vital role in local trading and growth since the area was settled. Subtly nestled within the piece are images that reflect aspects of northern life, including isolation, vast boreal forests, abundant wildlife, connection to nature, and human ingenuity.

Seaward’s artwork is painted using bitumen, the tar-like, viscous material extracted from oil sands and processed into petroleum products.

The Fort McMurray Airport Authority commissioned this piece.

Utopia Series 

Water Ways, Sensing Connections

Water has always been a central feature of life in Fort McMurray. The city was settled along rivers: the name of one of the city’s oldest established neighbourhoods, Waterways, bears witness to this history. Today, careful water use is essential for the technological development of local industries and for sustainable living in this growing northern city.

This photographic installation emphasizes the sensory experience of water. The piece focuses on the beauty of human hands touching and feeling the water, of the riverbed, and of water in motion. The artist’s digital photographs were edited into a collage using Photoshop software. These photographs feature the two main rivers in Fort McMurray, the Athabasca and the Hangingstone. The piece also includes hands representing the diversity of the people of our northern community.

The Fort McMurray Airport Authority commissioned this piece.