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First Nations Gathering Series with BAO

Sweetgrass and Spirit Art: Guided by Spiritman

Learn about First Nations cultures and the fundamentals of Woodland style art through meaningful crafts in this free workshop series programmed by local Indigenous singer-songwriter Pam Levi.

In this free workshop series, open to all peoples and programmed by local Indigenous singer-songwriter Pam Levi, you will learn about First Nations cultures and the fundamentals of Woodland style art through meaningful crafts.  
 
Series programmer Pam Levi will start each workshop by introducing the featured guest artist and providing a brief history of what participants will be making. After each workshop, participants will have created something significant to take home. 

Sweetgrass and Spirit Art: Guided by Spiritman

In this hands-on workshop you’ll explore painting in a different way, through your own energy, intuition, and spirit: Spirit Painting. No pressure, no “perfect” technique, just creating from a real place inside. You’ll also spend time learning about Sweetgrass, a traditional medicine that holds deep meaning for the First Nations people. Spiritman will share his teachings, and you’ll make your own personal care Sweetgrass brush to take home.

Artist Bio:

Albert Spiritman is a respected member of the Oneida Nation traditional learner, story Teller and cultural wellness consultant rooted in traditional Haudenosaunee teachings. He walks the path of his ancestors with humility, offering guidance through ceremony, storytelling, and land-based practices that honour the spirit of connection, healing, and responsibility. With teachings passed down through Elders, traditional mentors, and lived experience, Albert bridges generations by creating spaces for healing, learning, and cultural restoration. His work focuses on uplifting individuals, families, and communities through traditional fasting camps, circle work, sacred fire keeping, and community wellness programming. He carries teachings of the Good Mind, emphasizing balance, respect, and spiritual resilience. Albert is deeply committed to revitalizing Indigenous knowledge systems and supporting Indigenous-led healing initiatives. Whether working with youth, supporting families in lodge settings, or guiding leadership with cultural insight, Albert’s presence is grounded, compassionate, and rooted in Spirit. He continues to walk gently with the ancestors, carrying forward the sacred responsibility to protect the culture, the land, and the people — all in a good way.

 
Series Programmer: 
Pam Levi is a multidisciplinary Mi’kmaq artist from Elsipogtog First Nation, New Brunswick. Her creativity flows through many forms — singing, dancing, acting, painting, and drawing — each one a reflection of her deep connection to culture and spirit. 
 
Pam’s vibrant murals, inspired by Indigenous teachings, have transformed school spaces across the TCDSB, inviting students into a visual journey of identity and tradition. With a passion for sharing knowledge, she’s brought Indigenous perspectives to hundreds of classrooms, blending storytelling and expression in powerful, visual ways. 
 
For Pam, art isn’t just a medium — it’s medicine. It’s a way of being, of feeling, of remembering. Through her work, she reminds us that art lives in all of us. 

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