Stance brings McLain home

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Whatever became of Kim McLain? Remember him? Between the mid-80s and early 90s, this gifted artist worked in production at Windspeaker. At the time, he not only created material for newspapers, he also drew cartoons, did photography, wrote feature stories and more.

He went on to earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Alberta, graduating in 1996, then spent one summer at Yale University before moving south to the University of Albuquerque where he is working on his masters degree.

To support his education, the Cold Lake band helped out, as did the Canadian Native Arts Foundation, the University of New Mexico, and his own three-credit course on drawing (painting, pencil, charcoal, etc.)

A July exhibit of work by nine of his students whose photo art constitutes the mural project entitled Stance now showing at the Edmonton Art Gallery is a special project that saw McLain return to his home province briefly. Stance is a journey of self-discovery and artistic expression created by inner city youth through Aboriginal traditions led by McLain.

"The Edmonton Art Gallery wanted a project with inner city youth," he explained. The gallery wanted an Aboriginal instructor and tracked down McLain after his name had been recommended.

Once selected to lead the project he started with 10 students and wound up with nine. Their exhibit, and another featuring several mixed media pieces by McLain (on loan from Kmet-Bugera Gallery), are on display.

McLain's collaborator from the gallery was Heidi Alther, the galley's complementary programs manager, who he credits "was great at getting community support," in terms of equipment, mural space, and so forth.

In fact, the computer print out for the 10 by 24 foot mural at the Coffee Ground Cafe is a new process that is making its debut.

So, why photo-art?

"I often had a photographic element to my art," McLain insists. There are many contemporary artists who do. Now, he continued, it has just as much prominence in his art as in the paintings he does.

This was one of the reasons he elected to do his masters at Albuquerque.

"They have a Native American Art History program and are one of the top photographic schools in North America."

McLain also wanted to be in an environment where he'd feel comfortable. Although there are no Native profs there, he knew he'd likely be rubbing shoulders with other Native people in class.

His home territory is one of the things he misses the most.

"Being with family, being part of the community, having a definite role in the community . . . I miss the land, the weather, vegetation," he said.

McLain looks healthy and feels healthy despite doing battle with a tumor before he headed south. He also felt the need for a change.

"Sometimes you have to disconnect yourself and do your own thing. I did the best thing possible, took myself out of the loop. I think my art has benefited tremendously. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, I feel better."

Nonetheless, he can't wait to complete his degree and return to Alberta where he hopes to do a solo exhibit.

"It'll be fresh," and, "have stuff for an Aboriginal audience." Important to McLain because "it's a way to make the connection" with his people, his culture.

On July 6, McLain headed back south, but to Los Angeles for a couple of years where his significant other is working on her graduate degree. During this time, McLain plans to complete his degree.

Regarding his mural project, "It was great and I want to do more of it. Just because you're a painter, you don't have to restrict yourself to painting. You have other tools, use them."

McLain's art in the here and now demonstrates "recurring messages" which is why it's "improved," he states.

"It has themes like family trauma, memory, dislocation." His latest work is that of a boxer, a ring announcer and a pictograph. In it, he uses his past, his personal story as "a reflection of our [Native] community to mainstream society.

"When Iphotographed myself as a boxer, it's when my father had control and forced me into boxing" even though he didn't care for the sport.

"It's like Indian people (today) being forced into violent or bad situations," he explains.