Leo Yerxa is a Canadian visual artist and writer. As an illustrator of children's picture books he won the Governor General's Award in 2006. He lived in Ottawa, Ontario, then.
Early life and education
Yerxa was born in 1947 on the Little Eagle Reserve, Couchiching First Nation, in northwestern Ontario. He studied graphic arts at Algonquin College(Ottawa), and fine arts at the University of Waterloo(ON).
Yerxa began publishing poetry and participating in group art shows in the 1970s, and had his first one-man gallery show at the Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre and Centre for Indian Art, entitled "Renegade: The Art of Leo Yerxa", 1984.
Yerxa's designs were used for the Series Four 1975 (1976) Summer Olympic Coins. The coins bearing his designs included $5: Marathon Runner; $5: Women's Javelin; $10: Women's Shot Put; and $10: Men's Hurdles. His use of Algonquin art motifs in the design of these coins is considered an early example of Canadian public art expressions of indigenous values and aesthetics.
Yerxa is the author or several books for children, including the critically acclaimed Ancient Thunder. for which he received a Governor General's Literary Award in 2006. and Last Leaf, First Snowflake to Fall,
1974 CANADIAN INDIAN ART '74, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario.1977 Links to Tradition, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Development.1982 Renewal : Masterpiece s of contemporary Indian art from the Museum of Man, organised by Thunder Bay, Ontario.1983 Contemporary Indian and Inuit Art of Canada organised by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Development, for UN-Headquarters, New York.1974 Evans Gallery, Toronto, Ontario1975 Evans Gallery, Toronto, Ontario1978 "bingo," Wells Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario1978 Guild of Craft, Montreal, Quebec1979 Guild of Craft, Montreal, Quebec1980 "Wind, Rain and Snow," Ells Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario1983 "Last Snows in Spring," Nishnawbe Arts, Toronto, Ontario1984 "Renegade," Thunder Bay National Exhibition Center and Center for Indian Art, Thunder Bay, Ontario1986 Galerie Francis Alexandre, Ottawa, Ontario1988 Galerie Francis Alexandre, Ottawa, OntarioSketches for Olympic Medal series IV, 1976Memorial for Ron Shackleton, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.Author and illustrator
1993:Last Leaf, First Snowflake to Fall, Douglas & McIntyre Orchard Books NY1995:A Fish Tale, Or, The Little One That Got Away], Douglas & McIntyre2006:Ancient Thunder Groundwood Books1969:Peter Desbarats, What They Used To Tell About, Indian Legends from Labrador, McClelland and Stewart 1994:Armand Garnet Ruffo, Opening in the Sky, Theytus Press2001:Tomson Highway, Johnny National, Super Hero, Health Canada (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada),2002:Al Hunter, Spirit Horses Kegedonce Press2014:Joanne Arnott, Halfling Spring: an internet romance Kegedonce PressGovernor General's Literary Award, Children's literature (illustration) 2006Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award 1994Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award 1994Mr. Christie's Book Award 1993Governor General's Literary Award, Children's Literature, nominee 1993
