Erin Stagg is a nationally awarded Metis artist from Prince George, BC. She is best known for her landscapes and wildlife paintings but her most famous painting is of a Metis sash and smudging bowl.

Although she now lives in Prince George, Erin grew up in the small community of Fort St. James and has a great affinity for the place and people. Living surrounded by the forest, being educated in the Dakelh culture and living in a small town has been incredibly influential in Erin’s life.

As a young adult, Erin attended Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops where she studied botany and physical geography. Her passion for the land is expressed in many ways. After school Erin pursued a traditional career as per her education and found that it was not the right path for her. Starting in 2015 Erin moved towards a career creating art.

“One of the greatest things about being an artist is that you can change and grow as a person and your art has the ability to flex and change with you. In fact, each level of change adds another interesting feature to what you create. Becoming a mother was incredibly transformative for me, as challenging as it is has been it has completely expanded my heart and my art practice.”

After beginning her journey to motherhood, Erin felt a stronger calling from her Metis heritage. Erin is Metis/Mennonite Settler. Her most recent Metis ancestors are from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. Originally they moved from Red River after the Resistance. Her ancestors have the names Piche, Poitras, Tanner, Aubichon. She is a direct descendant of Cuthbert Grant Sr. and Pierre Poitras. She is related to notable Metis names like Edouard Beaupre, once the tallest man in the world. 

Exhibition List

• 2017 - Group Exhibition - Other Worlds, Pope Mountain Arts, Fort St James, BC

• 2018 - Group Exhibition - Pretendium, Ridgeside Art, Prince George BC
• 2019 - Group Exhibition - Lifting the Sky, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA. 
• 2021 - Solo Exhibition - Halfbreed Mother, Studio 2880, Prince George BC
• 2021 - Group Exhibition - Salt Spring National Art Prize, Salt Spring Island BC 
• 2022  - Group Exhibition - Salt Spring National Art Prize Winners Travelling Exhibit, Victoria Arts Council, Victoria BC
• 2022  - Group Exhibition - Salt Spring National Art Prize Winners Travelling Exhibit, Pendulum Gallery, Vancouver BC
• 2023 - Solo Exhibition - Otipemisewak: The People Who Own Themselves, Two Rivers Gallery, Prince George BC
• 2023 - Solo Exhibition - Otipemisewak: The People Who Own Themselves - Mackenzie Art Gallery, Mackenzie BC
• 2023 - Solo Exhibition - Otipemisewak: The People Who Own Themselves - Valley Museum and Archives, McBride BC
• 2023 - Solo Exhibition - Otipemisewak: The People Who Own Themselves - Valemount Museum, Valemount BC

Awards

• 2022 - Salt Spring National Art Prize - winner 1st Prize People's Choice

Bibliography

Illustrated Books

• Rhonda Girard. The First Salmon Run: The Bear Cubs’ Adventure. Friesen Press. 2022

Online Periodicals 

• Jason Peters, “New exhibit in Prince George gallery brings personal perspective to Metis history,” CBC, March 20, 2023 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/erin-stagg-paintings-two-rivers-gallery-1.6783111
• Citizen Staff, “Arts council names Stagg Artist In Residence”, Prince George Citizen, Feb 27, 2020.  https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-news/arts-council-names-stagg-artist-in-residence-3739521
• Sam Konnert, “Video: Prince George painter taps the intangible spirit of Metis culture”, Victoria News, June 15, 2022. https://www.vicnews.com/entertainment/prince-george-painter-taps-the-intangible-spirit-of-mtis-culture/

Podcasts

• Michael Kast, Erin Stagg Fine Art S3 Ep 2”, Arts North, Sept 30, 2021. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/arts-north/episodes/Erin-Stagg-Fine-Arts-Season-3-Ep-2-e183nqt

Erin's Favourite Paintings