Michaele Jordana facts for kids

Michaele Jordana, born Michaele Berman in 1947 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a talented Canadian artist and musician. She is known for her powerful paintings and her exciting music.

Michaele Jordana's Journey

After finishing her art studies at the University of Manitoba in 1969, Michaele Jordana began her career in the 1970s. She became a painter known for her very realistic, large airbrush paintings. These artworks often showed whales and aimed to raise awareness about their protection.

Her first art show in 1976 was called Oceans of Blood. It was shown at the Isaacs Gallery in Toronto, Ontario. Her 1977 show, Carnivore, was also there. Through these paintings, she wanted people to understand her deep concern for whales. She hoped her art would help protect these amazing animals. Her whale paintings are now part of important collections. These include the National Gallery of Canada and the Canada Council Art Bank.

From Painter to Musician

In 1977, Michaele Jordana started to combine her art with music. This began with a performance called The Rites of Nuliajuk. She worked with her partner, Douglas Pringle, and their company, Peak Productions. Michaele started writing music and created her stage name, Michaele Jordana.

With her band, The Poles, she became famous in the new wave music scene. Their hit song "CN Tower" (1977) helped them win the first U-Know Award. The Poles often played at popular punk music clubs. These included Max's Kansas City, the El Mocambo, and CBGB. They even performed alongside famous bands like Devo and the Ramones.

Directing and Digital Art

In the 1980s, Jordana Berman directed and produced documentaries. Two of these were Moving with the Light and Face to Face. These films explored new ways for young people with Down syndrome to communicate. They used art, light, and colored gels to help them express themselves.

She also created a stage show called Storming Heaven. This was a rock opera that looked at the difficult topic of animal testing. The show was performed in Toronto and toured in the United States.

By the mid-1990s, Jordana began using digital art. She applied her realistic painting style to computer-based art and design. With Douglas Pringle, she started using new online platforms. They created music, art, and videos for the internet. By 2000, their company, Peak Productions, became the Peak Media Collective. This was a group of artists who worked together on large art projects for the public.

Teaching Art and Design

Michaele Jordana is also a dedicated art educator. She has taught visual art courses at several universities and colleges. She taught at York University and the University of Guelph. She also taught at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. There, she developed courses like drawing for animators and game world design. Michaele Jordana has also been a professor and program coordinator. She led the digital animation and game design program at Centennial College.

Michaele Jordana's Family Life

Michaele Jordana took a break from her music career to have a child. Her daughter is Ramona Pringle.