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BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO - James Wedzin of Behchoko doesn't look for publicity but the Tlicho artist is nonetheless getting lots of attention with his art work.

Two Seals is a painting by Behchoko artist James Wedzin who is being featured in the documentary series From the Spirit. - photo courtesy of Arrowmakers Fine Traditional Art Gallery Ltd.

Filmmakers Raymond Yakeleya and Bill Stewart of Earth Magic Media in Edmonton visited Wedzin's studio this weekend to profile the artist for an upcoming documentary series.

"If you're an artist in Canada, even if you're well-known, it's almost impossible to be an artist in this country and have no publicity," Yakeleya said. "What we want to do is to cut a space in mainstream television for artists."

Wedzin will be showcased in the second episode of the third season of From the Spirit, a series of seven half-hour documentaries that highlights the work of First Nations artists.

"When we first began the series one of the artists said that if you weren't connected to your spirit you couldn't really make art because that's where art comes from," Yakeleya explained. "If you connect to your spirit then you can make stuff that reflects yourself."

Previous seasons of the program examined the life and work of Northern artists such as John Rombough, Eli Nasogaluak, John Fossey and Archie Bealieau.

"We both were really struck by James' work," Stewart said. "He has a lovely touch with colours so he was one of the guys that we really wanted to profile."

Raised by his grandmother, traditional clothing artist Julie Wedzin in Behchoko, the 34-year-old artist achieved artistic success early in his career.

"Right now I'm not trying to get myself famous," Wedzin said shortly before being interviewed by the filmmakers. "I've already passed that. I want to show what I can do besides painting."

Wedzin said he began exploring art as a child.

"The first time when I started going to the galleries at age 13 or 14 everybody refused me so I went on the street to sell paintings," he recalled.

By the age of 16 he sold his work privately to businesses and collectors around the world. His paintings hung in Yellowknife galleries soon after.

The acrylic on canvas works he sells to galleries feature realist depictions of Northern scenes, incorporating caribou, moose, snowy owls, eagles, beavers and gorgeous yet simple landscapes.

Many of the works incorporate magical realism with animal images concealed in the shadows and fissures of rocks or animals superimposed against lightening crashes in the sky above the forest.

Many of his works are on display at Arrowmakers Gallery in the lobby of Yellowknife's Explorer Hotel.

In his studio, Wedzin also works with other media. He is making a plaster mask this month with a self-image on one side and the face of a wolf on the opposite side.

He carves soapstone and alabaster but also wood. His traditional wood carvings form figures of eagles, ptarmigans, loons, ravens, owls and wolves among other wildlife.

He paints his wood carvings with natural pigments.

"I have to go out on the land to collect different kinds of colours," he said. "I don't use store-bought stuff. I use it from the land. You have to know what to look for."

He employs various types of soil, charcoal or ash, and volcanic rock and gravel crushed into powder and mixed with water and spruce sap, maple syrup or honey to create his paints. Blackberries, cranberries and blueberries bring out rich purples, reds and dark blue hues.

He doesn't sell his wood carvings to the galleries.

Wedzin also creates ethereal art he calls 'time pieces.'

"I grab all different kinds of coloured leaves and all different kinds of colours of stuff and put them together on the land and take a picture of it from above using a ladder or roof," he said.

"This is fall time, there's so many different colours of leaves."

After creating and photographing his mosaics on the land using leaves, rocks and branches, he abandons them to the elements.

"This is my own thing I like to do," he said. "Time destroys it slowly."

In the fall Wedzin sits atop his roof and stares into the sky for hours

"I study stars," he said. "How they move. I paint galaxy scenes, but those are for myself, though."

From the Spirit season three will go to air in September of 2009 on the Bravo network and then again on APTN.