Tree of Life, ca.1968
Acrylic on paper
123 x 56.4 cm
Murielle and Jack Goodwillie Collection

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Murielle & Jack Goodwillie Collection
The owners of this painting, Murielle and Jack Goodwillie, believe that the title “Tree of Life” is written on the back but are not sure if Morrisseau put it there or someone else did.  It was given to them by Jack’s father, John Goodwillie, early in their marriage.  It was likely painted in the mid-to-late 1960s.  John Goodwillie owned and ran the Lakeview Restaurant in Red Lake, and he purchased this painting from Morrisseau there.  The senior Goodwillies sold the restaurant in 1976/77 so it seems this piece was completed before then.  (The Image Makers dated this type of painting by Morrisseau later than these dates at 1979). Jack and Murielle hung this art in their home in Red Lake for almost twenty years.

There is a strong link between this image and traditional Ojibway beadwork designs.  The “Beaded Bag” (which originated in the Red Lake area) is also on display as part of  this exhibit, and highlights this link.  The use of European glass beads, rather than the more traditional quills or moose hair, began to dominate the craft by the nineteenth century (Image Makers, p. 70 and designs became more colourful with flowing lines).  Morrisseau would have seen these as he grew up and reflects them in art pieces such as this one.  Morrisseau was living on McKenzie Island at this time but would be in Red Lake often.  The Lakeview Restaurant was (and still is) known as a coffee spot likely to offer the latest “town-news-of-the-day.”

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