Photos courtesy Kim Gullion Stewart Visual Artist Facebook page

By Erika Rolling

National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Former Grande Prairie resident art in Canada Post Truth and Reconciliation stamp issue

Sep 29, 2022 | 11:23 AM

Former resident of Athabasca and Grande Prairie, Kim Gullion-Stewart is making national headlines with her art ahead of the second annual National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

Canada Post has released four stamps in an issue; “that encourages awareness and reflection on the tragic legacy of Indian residential schools and the need for healing and reconciliation.”

Gullion represents the Metis identity in this first issue of stamps, which will be released annually.

Kim Gullion, photo courtesy Kim Gullion Stewart Visual Artist Facebook

A renowned artist, Gullion was born in Athabasca and has two art degrees, a master’s in art education, and earned her Instruction and Curriculum Design from Victor Valley College.

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On her website, it says her Metis heritage comes from the Métis Homeland of Red River with family names Brabant, Brazeau, and to Métis and Cree communities in Alberta through the family name Nipissing.

“I really feel that reconciliation starts with myself. It starts within myself, it’s a journey that I personally need to take. Then from there it goes out to the community, and from the community to the country… so truth and reconciliation is important to all people. It allows us to become a community again. Instead of an “us” and “them”, instead of a “me”, we become a “we”. For those young people, my hope is that you can lead the way and show us a better future, you can show us how to get along. The pain of the past stops here, it stops with us, and with you young people we can move forward in a really good way.” – Kim Gullion

She went to St. Joes Catholic High School and graduated with the class of 1981.

Gullion currently resides in a community outside of Kamloops B.C., in Pinantan Lake.

The stamp features Gullion’s work of painted contour lines of the land of where she grew up and beaded orange flowers.

Kim Gullion’s Canada Post stamp design, photo courtesy Canada Post

Gullion said in a news release; “When I’m creating my work, I’m very aware of the fact that artwork is a way in. It’s often a way in for people to open up conversation, to talk about things that are difficult, but to also talk about things that are joyful, and also to talk about things that could be solutions for the future.”

She says she draws inspiration for her work from the words of late Metis leader, Louis Riel who said; “My people will sleep for 100 years, but when they awake it will be the artists who give them their spirit back.”

The stamps can be bought in a booklet of eight at your local Canada Post or on their website.