Aaron Paquette Journal

A while ago, I was debating the benefits/negatives of making prints available (in extremely limited numbers on an even further limited selection of works).

It was suggested to me that I open the discussion up to the readers of this journal.

So, that's what I'm doing.

First let me explain that the reason I am considering this is in order to fund what I believe will be a very constructive purpose. I am planning on travelling across Canada this summer, visiting various Native Communities and Reservations. I want to talk with and record my interviews with the community leaders, chiefs, and average man and woman. I plan on photographing, sketching, and painting the images and portraits I come across.

After all this is done, I plan to compile all this material into a show that will discuss what is going on with our country's indigenous peoples. Where have we come from and where, exactly, are we going? I want to present this collective voice to Canadians, especially at this time when the Government is planning on revamping and making fundamental and major changes in regard to the country's relationship with First Nations.

I also plan on putting all this information and the images I will create into a book. One of the things I would like to do with this book is to send a few copies to every community I visit. Every person I talk to will be able to see their name in print and, I hope, will feel a sense of having been heard and respected.

The last goal I have for this project is to find a way to take it across the country. As this occurs, ordinary Canadians can also add their own two cents to the discussion in various ways and will be added to the overall examination and exhibit.

Of course, this is a very quick and minimally detailed description of the project. The question, in order to make it happen, is funding.

While I am beginning to explore options such as the Canada Council for the Arts, etc. what I really want to do is pay for this myself, no strings attached.

And so we come to the question of prints.

What do you think of the option of creating a series of works intended for printing in order to fund this project? I do not plan on becomng an artist who sells prints as a practice, but for this purpose, it seems okay to me.

Please email me (via the website) to let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Aaron

www.aaronpaquette.com