b'ARTIST PROFILEAlbert has also been inspired and helped by other Indigenous artists along the way. She learned to use acrylic paints in her artwork from Norman Knott, an Indigenous artist from Curve Lake, near Peterborough. He played an important role in helping her embrace colour, which became a hallmark of her work. Its hard to imagine, but in her early years as an artist, Albert resisted it. I was afraid of colour for the longest time before I met my father and we got to meet Norman Knott, she says. He spent a weekend teaching me how to use acrylics, but really what he taught me was how to have fun, how to play. He taught me the technique of how to use the brush and how to spread the paint, but he really taught me how to play, and I think Ive been manipu-lating paint, manipulating things for the last 30 years and having fun with colour.To this day, Albert begins each piece by painting the backgrounds and blending the colours together. I really just throw a lot of paint around and then I just blend it, she says. I get such incredible colours blended together, and the backgrounds are so much fun to do.Following that, Albert taps into her inner spirituality. She walks around the painted backgrounds until they start speaking to me. Something will show up and then thats what I do, she says. Sometimes I do preliminary sketches. I have books and books of sketches that Ive done, and then I just follow that pattern.LABOUR OF LOVE Bringing a deeper meaning to her artworkstay away from art for that long, so I took Art is truly a labour of love for Albert, andis critical for Albert, and the impact herabout a years sabbatical and regrouped and she paints all the time, happiest with a paint- creative work has on people is importantthen started again. Thats when I moved to brush in hand. Its an obsession for meto her. One senses that painting is morethe Winnipeg area. its something I love doing, its relaxing,than just a career or way to earn money for and Im very curious, she says. Sometimesher; it is a way to move people and touchFast forward to today, and Albert remains I will go into the studio and my inner voicethem on a deeper level. That was myone of the countrys most successful comes in and says, Remember that brushinitial intent when I started 30 years agoIIndigenous artists. She recently began you used last time and you mixed thosewanted it to be meaningful for people, Iselling her original pieces through the Upper colours? Use that brush to do that. And if Iwanted them to feel the art, Albert says. ICanada Native Art Gallery in Niagara-on-dont challenge that voice, if I go with it andthought if I was going to do this as a career,the-Lake, and she also sells her work on her just allow it to flow, then Im going to havethen my job as an artist was to move people.Facebook page. In addition, her artwork this easy painting experience. Itll just flow,I need to put my heart and soul into whatappears on calendars, notebooks, mugs and and Ill trust the inner guidance I get. I do, and I think people feel it. Thats theother items distributed by Canadian Art Trusting that vision is important, as it guideskind of response I get from people, they feelPrints and Winn Devon Art Group Inc., Albert in her work. It is a deep, spiritualthe art. through a licensing agreement. wellspring of inspiration that reflects herDreams play an important role in the lives essence as an Indigenous woman. And its aWhile Albert has spent most of her lifeof many Cree people. But in the life of Betty privilege, she says, to be able to experiencepainting, for eight yearsfrom 2003 toAlbert, a dream determined her destiny. that inspiration. What an interesting career2011she operated an art gallery inIve made a good living at it and was able to be sort of tapped into something greaterCochrane, Alberta, primarily during theto raise my boys and put them through than I am that I feel is a guidance, Albertsummer months. She didnt have much timeschool and college and university, she says. reflects. Its very unique and thats a bigto dedicate to her painting during that time,It all came from that one dream I had.high for me when that happens. It doesntand eventually knew she needed to return always work that way, but the majority ofto her first love full-time. All I ever wantedFor more information on Betty Albert and to view the time I follow that direction. to do was paint, Albert says. I just couldnther work, visit www.wabimeguil.com.40Fall/Winter 2022'