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Brightly coloured paintings fill Torrie Ironstar’s home, a private retrospective for welcome guests.

Some adorn the walls, while others sit propped up in corners, drawing the eye every which way to vivid hues and meticulous patterns that almost radiate in the sunlight.

Geometric shapes fit together in hypnotic patterns, mesmerizing the viewer.

In contrast to the smooth lines and textures of most of his work, one piece stands out for its strikingly rough texture and subdued shades. A portrait in the corner counters it with a colourful background outlined in bold black paint. Together they serve as stops on a visual timeline of the 38-year-old artist’s evolution.

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“That was definitely a different point in my life,” said Ironstar, a two-spirit deaf artist based in Regina and creator of the label art for a recent beer collaboration with Pile O’ Bones Brewing Company.

“That was growth. My style has changed.”

Grappling with his hearing impairment, Ironstar was inspired to use lots of texture in his early work, which was also influenced heavily by the portraiture style of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Fully realized today, his style is abstract yet serenely sleek.

“My work is smoother now. I know who I am,” Ironstar signed to an interpreter from the Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services in a recent interview. “I don’t have any rough patches in my life.”

But that wasn’t always the case. The colourful portrait living in the corner was created in high school — a reflection of his struggle with identity, Ironstar explained.

“Who am I? Who is Torrie?” he recalled thinking as his younger self struggling with deafness and Indigeneity.

Ironstar is Blackfoot and Nakoda from Carry the Kettle First Nation, but was born and raised in Regina. He also identifies as two-spirit, someone who has both a masculine and a feminine spirit.

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Because of his deafness, Ironstar was left to his own devices at events and ceremonies. Unable to hear the singing and pounding of a drum, he would focus instead on the lively colours and patterns decorating ribbon skirts and regalia worn by dancers.

“It’s who I am, where I came from,” he said. “These are the textures and the textiles that I recognize and I’m comfortable with … it was just one of those interesting things in my life, which I didn’t put together until just recently.”

Ironstar also incorporates circles in his work, a throwback to watching the Golden Age dancers when he was little — elders and grandparents in polka-dotted outfits.

“They are so beautiful because of their slow, but very beautiful movements where you can see the details of their clothes,” recalled Ironstar.

Although his work has always reflected his heritage, it’s evolved over the years to champion all aspects of his identity.

Whether a literal depiction or implied in the composition of his paintings, the symbol of the cross shows up often. These crosses aren’t religious, says Ironstar, but represent the four aspects of the self — physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

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“If you only have three … you know it’s not going to work,” he explained. “So the four directions and the four pillars make for a good balance in life.”

For him, they also represent the seasons and natural elements.

When looking at his work, it’s nearly impossible to ignore the neon greens, pastel pinks, tranquil blues and striking reds that come to life through the acrylic paint, but his relationship with colours was not always so present.

“I didn’t have strong emotional connections with colours and I didn’t have any strong feelings at the time,” he said, reflecting on his early works. “Now with coming to terms with myself and being more at peace with myself, I’m able to identify my feelings.”

“Red is a strong emotion, so I’m not afraid to use it. I don’t want to hide it. I don’t want to water it down.”

But tuning into his feelings wasn’t the only thing that opened the colour floodgates.

He recalled meeting the late Alex Janvier at a Sundance Ceremony in 2018 and learning more about his Cree, Blackfoot and French heritage.

“It’s similar to my Nakoda, Blackfoot and deaf background,” said Ironstar. “There isn’t just me as one identity. I felt I had more of a mixture and I felt that connection with Mr. Janvier.”

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And after seeing one of Janvier’s shows at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina in 2017, Ironstar was inspired by his use of vibrant colours and circular canvases.

“It’s something I had never experimented with before,” said Ironstar, peering at the handful of circular paintings sitting nearby, reminiscent of painted drums and the omnipresent medicine wheel symbolized in his art.

Ironstar also takes a lot of inspiration from fellow Indigenous artist Bob Boyer, who he discovered nearly a decade ago. Boyer’s large-scale geometric paintings are akin to the intricate designs of Indigenous textiles.

“I learned so much from him by looking at his work,” he said, adding he was recently invited to the Saskatchewan Arts Board to view Boyer’s private collection. “It blew my mind.”

Ironstar began painting full time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has found success in various collaborations, like his recent partnership with Indigenous-owned Regina brewery Pile O’ Bones on a special edition beer.

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Before the partnership, one of the owners purchased a painting by Ironstar that hangs in the taproom on Saskatchewan Drive. From there, they approached Ironstar with the idea of using his art on one of their new brews.

For the beer label, Ironstar channeled the idea of rebuilding and reconnecting to old ways, while incorporating how modern modes of communication, like social media, can spread awareness and positive change.

“I love their commitment to communities here in the city and it’s nice to see a local Indigenous business flourishing,” said Ironstar. “The colours in my design represent openness, connection and the loving vibes by the people there.”

While Ironstar is making strides in getting his work out there, he said it wasn’t always so easy to be taken seriously in the art world.

“Some people have degrees. I don’t have an art degree,” he explained. “I’m self-taught and sometimes people don’t appreciate that.”

He’s had to rely more on his community and word of mouth as opposed to his credentials, but things are getting easier.

“I’m much more recognized now just because time has gone by and my work speaks for itself.”

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Despite his ability to work as a full-time artist, Ironstar has yet to have a gallery exhibit his work. He’s eager for the day people can view more of his paintings in public.

“(These paintings) tell my story,” said Ironstar, gesturing at his work. “I think people can see it and I also think people can relate to it and understand what it would be like to be in my shoes.”

“There are some people who don’t have a voice, like I don’t have a voice.

“This is my voice.”

AnAmato@Postmedia.com

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