I have always been creative. As a child I loved drawing animals and their surroundings.

In my later years, I attended The Alberta College of Arts and Design as a ceramic major for two years. I left my formal education for a deeper more enriching experience.

I studied under a Woodlands Cree Medicine Women, Rose Auger. She opened my eyes to many things I would have never seen or experienced.

The traditional way of living with the earth only ties into my paintings, since they are an extension of my surroundings.

Our amazing world has opened up in front of me. When I am out in the backcountry everything is richer in colour and deeper in meaning.

The river flowing through my legs, as I position myself for a perfect cast. The babble of stream, the pull of the current, the sound of the wind whispering through the trees has provided the inspiration for my paintings. I enjoy capturing that instant, which slips by, letting us relive that moment again and again as we pass by that painting.

None of this would have happened with out the strong influence of a wonderful friend, Dale Auger. I am very grateful to Dale for mentoring me and inspiring me to pick up the brush again.

To honour my time with Rose and Dale Auger, many of my titles include Cree words, which can be translated using a Cree Dictionary.

To all those visiting, Welcome! I look forward to sharing this journey with all of you.

Thom Childrey