Chief Lady Bird facts for kids

Chief Lady Bird is an amazing artist, illustrator, and educator. Her real name is Nancy King. She is from the Chippewa and Potawatomi communities. These are Indigenous groups in Canada. She grew up in Rama First Nation and Moosedeer Point First Nation. Today, she lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Her spirit name, Ogimaakwebnes, means Chief Lady Bird. She uses this name for her art. Her artwork often highlights the experiences of Indigenous women.

What Chief Lady Bird Does

Chief Lady Bird is well-known for many types of art. She creates large murals with other artists. She also makes digital illustrations. You can find her art in children's books. She adds Indigenous art to many places in Toronto.

Murals and Public Art

You can see Chief Lady Bird's murals all over Toronto. Some are on Queen Street West. Others are near Beverley and D'Arcy Street. She has also painted at Ravina Gardens and Withrow Public School. Her art is even at Ryerson University and Underpass Park. This park is under the Don Valley Parkway.

Digital Art and Activism

Chief Lady Bird designed the Turtle Island emoji for Twitter. This was for National Indigenous Peoples Day. She is part of a group of activists online. They use social media to share information about Indigenous issues.

Books and Magazines

In 2019, Chief Lady Bird illustrated a children's book. It is called Nibi's Water Song. Sunshine Tenasco wrote the book. Scholastic Canada published it. Chief Lady Bird's own dog, Ludo, is a character in the book! A magazine called Quill & Quire said her work was "colourful and expressive."

Her art has also been in Chirp Magazine. She created the cover art for the United Kingdom version of The Marrow Thieves. This popular book was written by Cherie Dimaline.

Art Exhibitions

Chief Lady Bird's art has been shown in many galleries. She has had both solo and group shows. Some places include Twist Gallery and the Gladstone Hotel. Her work has also been at the Gallery of Northumberland and Arts Square. Other places include the Lieutenant Governor's Suite and Yorkville Village. She has shown art at Super Wonder Gallery and The Carlu. Her art has also been at Harbourfront Centre and Summer in the City Gallery. The Woodland Cultural Centre has also featured her work.

In June 2023, the Art Gallery of Ontario asked her to create a mural. This mural is called The South | Zhaawanong. It is now in the gallery's Robert Harding Hall.

Her Education

Chief Lady Bird went to OCAD University. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree there. She studied drawing and painting. She also focused on Indigenous Visual Culture. She said that her art studies helped her combine different ideas. She brought what she learned in her main studies into her Indigenous art studies, and vice versa.

Awards and Recognition

Chief Lady Bird has received several awards and nominations for her art.