Seven Grandfather Teachings Art Card by Cody Houle

Cody Houle, Anishinaabe Artist Cody James Houle (he/him), is a self-taught Anishinaabe independent artist based out of Brantford. Raised in an unsafe home in the small military city of North Bay, Ontario, Houle had to generate his own sense of security and sustain his survival through a deeply intimate connection to nature and his heart’s desire to create something meaningful in this life. Growing up with intergenerational trauma and colonialism, Houle felt shame and guilt about being Native; now, his art allows him to show pride and strength in being an Indigenous man. A self-taught painter, Houle has been active in the arts community for five years—since realizing he enjoyed the visual art form after he had already created multiple pieces at the age of 31. While drawn to abstract visualizations and animate florals, it is the woodland paintings that resonate most for Houle and his sense of his culture. For him, paintings are teachings as long as one is open to learning the stories shared; great artists from the past can be mentors for the next generation of visionaries; works available for study feature techniques and stylized choices that unavoidably provide lessons in art and philosophy. Houle believes it is important to share art to inspire hope and encourages anyone (especially youth!) to create for the sake of creating; to express themselves and give expression to their lives because Indigenous life is art!