Biography

 

Born Joseph Denis Weber in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in 1951, Dennis grew up in Calgary and then raised his own family in Airdrie.  He was widowed in 1995 but then remarried and in 1999 moved to Kelowna, BC.  In his home studio he worked with oil, pastel, pencil, charcoal, colored pencil or a combination.  His mastery of these media is due in part to his glazing technique.  While living in BC, Dennis obtained senior accreditation in the Federation of Canadian Artists and a fellowship in the Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists.  His demonstrations, adult workshops and weekly classes were much in demand but he also mentored children for the Métis Community Services Society of BC and taught Aboriginal children in Kelowna's School District 23.  In 2019 he moved back to Alberta and now lives in Didsbury.

The fascinating story of the Métis people's 17th century origins, through to the official recognition in the 20th as one of Canada's three Indigenous peoples, could be told through Dennis' ancestors.  Louis Riel, Canada's most renowned Métis and Dennis' first cousin five generations removed, was not only instrumental in the creation of Manitoba, but also a poet, visionary and ultimately a martyr.  He stated in 1885, the year of his death:

 

"My People will sleep for one hundred years.  When they awaken,

It will be the artists who give them back their spirit."

 

Dennis has attended a number of art events including the four-day invitation-only Artist Ride in South Dakota.  He was selected for a number of years for the Calgary Stampede's Western Art Show, including ten years in the Sales Salons.  In 2007 the exhibition “We Are Métis” was held at the Kelowna Museum. Dennis’ art and his personal collection of Métis artifacts were displayed alongside the Museum’s collection of historical Métis pieces.  In 2014 the Metis Veterans Monument featuring an image he created and approximately 4,500 names of Métis veterans was unveiled at Batoche, Saskatchewan, the site of the 1885 Métis Resistance. 

  • Renowned Métis author and a member of the Order of Canada, David Bouchard commissioned Dennis to produce the images for two of his books. The first, "The Secret of Your Name" is the story of discovering David’s Métis roots.  In 2017, “Proud to be Métis” was published which is a collection of the stories and portraits of people connected to the Metis identity.
  • A number of his images, in support of articles as well as on book covers, were published by the Gabriel Dumont Institute, many of them commissioned for those projects.
  • He has contributed a number of his images for school textbooks and booklets.

 

 

Artist Statement

 

When someone responds to my work, they often tell me it's because it reminds them of an experience they’ve had, a place they’ve been to, or an important person in their lives.  Creating a bridge between my experiences and theirs is what I value most about my art.

I’ve been fortunate to meet many interesting people as I’ve traveled with my wife Sharon to art events across Canada and the U.S.  They include Native Flute makers and players, Indigenous leaders and musicians, and of course accomplished and famous artists.  Everyone who comes into my booth though, has a life story and they all contribute to my knowledge of the human race.

In recent years I’ve become more curious and interested in the nature of the universe and life itself, and it’s allowed me to look more deeply into the images I see and create.