Praying to Tree of Life by Brent Hardisty - Niiwin Binesi (Four Birds) in Toronto

Brent Hardisty is a Woodland style painter working in acrylic on canvas. His spiritual name, Niiwin Binesi - “Four Birds” in Anishnaabemowin - refers to the Thunderbird, Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, and Hawk. Raised in the Sagamok First Nation in Northern Ontario, Brent’s work blends the spiritual traditions of his community with the bold, graphic sensibilities shaped by his early years in Toronto’s graffiti scene. Influenced by Norval Morrisseau and artists such as James Simon Mishibinijima, Daphne Odjig, and Leland Bell, his paintings use vivid color and symbolic forms to explore deep spiritual connections and invite personal interpretation.