Brent Hardisty – Woodland Style Painter

Brent Hardisty is a Woodland style painter from Sagamok First Nation whose acrylic paintings draw on spiritual traditions, ceremony, family, nature, and the sharing of knowledge. His artistic journey developed from graffiti and mural work into the distinctive Woodland style he practices today.

About Brent Hardisty

Brent Hardisty, portrait photograph of the artist.

Brent Hardisty – Artist Biography

Brent Hardisty is a woodland style painter who works in acrylics on canvas. His spiritual name is Niiwin Binesi, which roughly translated means Four Birds. He is from Sagamok First Nation, located on the beautiful and magical northern shore of Georgian Bay. As a young teenager, Brent lived with his mother and attended high school in southern Ontario, where an older peer mentored him in the arts of graffiti. Unlike many First Nations, he was privileged to be able to travel around Ontario and live off of the reservation for some time, including Toronto, where he resided for 8 years. Throughout this time, he was known as a graffiti artist, muralist and all around artist. In 2015, after returning to his community of Sagamok Anishnawbek, he transferred his graffiti skills and experience into acrylic woodland style paintings. The direction to paint in this style came to him shortly after attending a spring ceremony in 2016, where he received his spiritual name. The images you will see are the result of his transition and are also directly inspired by his people’s spiritual traditions and ceremonies. He now currently lives and works from home with his two children and partner in Sagamok First Nation. Brent contacted the Friends United initiative for the first time in 2016 and joined after he met many of the other artist members. Many of his paintings are exhibited at the Friends United International Convention Centre.

Woodland Style Paintings by Brent Hardisty

This gallery presents a selection of Woodland style paintings by Brent Hardisty featured by Friends United. Through symbolic figures, trees, family relationships, spiritual imagery, and connections between generations, the works reflect themes that are central to his artistic practice.

Artistic Journey and Connection to Friends United

Brent Hardisty’s artistic journey connects different stages of his life and creative practice. After years of working with graffiti and murals, he began transferring that experience into acrylic Woodland style painting following his return to Sagamok Anishnawbek.

Spiritual traditions and ceremony became an important influence on this new direction in his work. His paintings explore relationships between people, nature, family, knowledge, and spiritual life through the visual language of Woodland art.

Brent first contacted the Friends United initiative in 2016 and later joined after meeting other participating artists. A number of his paintings are exhibited at the Friends United International Convention Centre.

More from Friends United

Explore More Artists…

Melinda RobertsonFriends United2026-08-18T15:53:18-03:00