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Joseph Demko School exhibits Indigenous cultural art

Visual artist Joe Amato hopes to dispel racism with his cedar sculptural piece titled The Gathering, an homage to his Indigenous culture

When visual artist Joe Amato crafts his vibrant designs, he expresses his Indigenous culture, identity and history. A wood carver and painter, he gravitates towards either creating a likeness of the natural world or reusing nature’s gifts – trees, rocks, mosses, grasses or hide to form a new vision. 

Amato, owner of Spirit Wood Designs in Riel Park, has created a circular piece of cedar wood art immediately visible to all who enter the front doors of Joseph M. Demko School. Titled The Gathering, every element carries a spiritual symbol revered in Indigenous culture. 

A black raven appears to fly across the circle, its broad wingspan protecting a three-person Indigenous family painted in acrylic as the focal point. On the circular edges are strips of deer and buffalo hide, abalone shells, copper as well as sweet grass, sage encased in epoxy. The total effect is serene, joyful and stunning in its raw beauty.  

“You can go a long time and think nobody cares about the Indigenous challenges and out of the blue comes this beautiful email from Erik. It inspired me to think some people cared and to have the opportunity to influence children in school can help stem the tide of racism,” Amato said. 

Erik Hornung, administrative assistant at Joseph M. Demko School originally commissioned Amato to create a piece of Indigenous art highlighting the underrepresented group. 

Hornung started working at the school in Jan. 2024 and was immediately tasked with creating symbols for Black History Month. He has a passion for photography and prior to a career in education, he operated Erik Hornung Photography for 18 years. 

As Truth and Reconciliation Day approached on Sept. 30, he put his creativity to use dusting off a Cricut machine and spent a weekend designing simple motifs to make a temporary display. 

“People at the school loved the look and message title but we decided we wanted a permanent display. We wanted to put a piece of art up. I’m white Canadian and it made more sense to have work created by someone who is Indigenous,” said Hornung. 

He sought the advice of Helen Nowell, a former colleague he worked with at Leo Nickerson, whose small gesture of friendship opened his eyes to systemic bias against Indigenous nations.  

“One year she offered to buy all the staff a book of our choosing by an Indigenous author. I chose a book that explored the generational trauma of Indigenous culture and how they face an uphill battle. I had never understood. But this little thing Helen did opened my eyes. The book is called From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle and it goes into the alcoholism, poverty and racism. It makes you feel guilty, and I shed a few tears. But it makes you want to be a better person.” 

Honung discovered Amato through Google and soon the two were discussing ideas how best to approach the subject matter. Amato had a free hand in developing a concept and researched St. Albert’s history and personality. 

“When I started digging into history, I found St. Albert was a gathering place for Indigenous people. St. Albert also has strong family ties and the rivers is so beautiful. We discovered it when we went biking along the river. I wanted to portray a family before contact in a positive way. I wanted children to see that and be influenced by that,” Amato said. 

Ultimately, the cedar artwork reflects the artist's, the school's and the district’s commitment to Indigenous cultural learning in a way that people can continue to move towards reconciliation. 

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