Steven Brunelle: Spirit Messengers

Nicholas Metivier Gallery is excited to present Spirit Messengers, an exhibition of new works on paper by Steven Brunelle. 

 

Spirit Messengers weaves together Steven Brunelle’s interest in Indigenous mythologies with anecdotes drawn from his personal experiences and everyday surroundings in Lafontaine, Ontario, near Georgian Bay. Brunelle has spent his whole life in this area, having grown up only a few kilometers away from where he lives now. This long history with the area has fostered a deep connection with local wildlife that shapes his practice. Seated at the drafting table by a big window in his studio, Brunelle looks out into a garden brimming with life. Songbirds, crows, ravens, owls; a long list of birds call this place home. 

Brunelle’s portrayal of birds in this body of work comes out of his interest in their universal symbolism. He notes that across cultures and time birds are mythologized as messengers between our world and the spirit realm, a concept that gives the exhibition its title. Birds carry a host of associations, from rebirth and peace to wisdom and warning. The owl can be a symbol of wisdom or fertility. In Mr. Crow (2026), the artist depicts a frequent visitor to his garden. After Brunelle noticed a particular crow returning over and over, he began to trap red squirrels for it. In return, the crow started bringing its own catches and leaving it as offerings for Brunelle and his wife. 

This exhibition focuses specifically on Brunelle’s works on paper. While he recalls sketching as early as his childhood, these vibrant, graphic renditions have been developing over the last two years. For Brunelle, paper allows him to process his ideas more immediately than canvas. He is more at ease working flat so that he can access the image from all sides, moving the paper around and allowing his hands to glide across the surface. Brunelle’s latest compositions are some of his most technically and conceptually complex. With an increased depth of field, Brunelle draws viewers into the multiple stories and influences playing out in each work.