OTHER WEBSITES
Work from Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry artist residency is here
https://munichproject.blogspot.com/
New work and work in progress is here http://www.onninordman.blogspot.ca
Other kinds of art projects are here http://onordman.blogspot.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onni.nordman/
CV
1972-1973, 1991-1995, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design
2009 recipient Established Artist Recognition Award, Nova Scotia Arts & Culture Partnership
2015 recipient Visual Art Award, Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design
2015 - present, teaches oil painting at Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, Sydney, Nova Scotia
Solo exhibitions
2022
July - August: 'Max Planck Work', Ebenböckhaus. Pasing, München / Munich Germany
2021
April - June:
'Onni Nordman: Max Planck Residency Works', Cape Breton University
2020
January - March:
'Sauna: Divine Comedy', Pasinger Fabrik Kultur- und Bürgerzentrum München / Munich
February - April:
artist residency, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsreid, Munich
April - June:
artist residency, Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Garching, Munich
postponed due to covid-19 lockdown in Germany
2019
Seprember:
'Angelus Recentior', installation for Lumière 2019, Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design (CBCCD)
May:
'Paintings for Motels', CBCCD, Sydney
'Check Out This Art', lending installation, Cape Breton Regonal Library, Sydney
2018
January - February:
'Sauna: Divine Comedy', Finlandia University Art Gallery, Hancock, Michigan
2016
September:
'The Business, or, A Sydney River', installation for Lumière, downtown Sydney
April:
'Levitating Woman', installation, CBCCD, Sydney
2015
June:
'Onni Nordman: Maalaus', Galleria-Artika, Helsinki
April - May:
'Zehn Stiere / 10 Bulls' and artist-in-residency,
Pasinger Fabrik Kultur- und Bürgerzentrum München / Munich
2010
May-June:
'Onni Nordman: Paintings', Saint Francis Xavier Art Gallery, Antigonish NS
2005
January - April:
'Please Describe Yourself', University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery I, Sydney NS
2002
November:
'Recent Works' University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery II, Sydney NS
2001
November:
'New Paintings and Prints'
University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery II, Sydney NS
2000
September:
'Recent Paintings from the Last Century'
University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery II, Sydney NS
1999
September: 'Lost on the Longest Day of the Year', Multicultural Art Gallery, Pier 21, Halifax NS
June-July: 'The Seven Wonders of Sydney',
University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery I, Sydney NS
1995
July: 'Telepod Disaster', OO Gallery, Halifax NS
1993
July: 'Onni Nordman/July 93', Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax NS
Group Shows
2023
April - Oct.: 'Inner/Outer Space', Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Western Branch, Yarmouth
2022
Sept. - Oct.: 'Nova Scotia Art Bank Purchase Program 2022', Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax
September: 'Wake of the Flood', Lumière 2022, Sydney / Unama'ki
2019
September: 'Ten645: Cape Breton - Nairobi Kenya Collaborative Exhibition' CBCCD, Sydney
2017
November - Decenber:
'Underpinnings: Celebrating 130 years of NSCAD'
NSCAD Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax
September - November:
'Bodies in Translation: Age and Creativity',
Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Halifax
September - October:
2017 Nova Scotia Art Bank Purchase Exhibition, Inverness County Centre for the Arts
September: 'Postcards From a Dream', Lumière 2017, Sydney NS
2016
September - October:
2017 Nova Scotia Art Bank Purchase Exhibition, Inverness County Centre for the Arts
March: 'David Tuck: Friends and Ashes', Eastern Edge, St. John's, Newfoundland
2015
November: 'Capture 2014', Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Yarmouth NS
September: 'XXPRXXCODX ( Express Code )', Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, Sydney
October: Lumière 2015, Sydney NS
August: 'Art of Awareness 2015', Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, Sydney NS
June: 'Capture 2014', Acadia University Art Gallery, Wolfville NS
2014
January-March: 'Capture 2014' Dalhousie University Art Gallery, Halifax NS
June: 'Art of Living 2014', Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, Sydney NS
2013
June: 'Art of Living 2013', Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, Sydney NS
2012
September: Lumière 2012, Sydney N.S.
January: 'ProletariArt' University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery, Sydney NS
2011
October: Lumière 2011, Sydney NS
2010
August-September: 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning'
University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery, Sydney NS
February: CB Stage Company Show, Sydney NS
2009
July: Coastal Arts Initiative, Mt. Carmel Center, New Waterford NS
August: Coastal Arts Initiative, Cape Breton University Art Gallery II, Sydney NS
2007
June-August: ‘Elegies and Effigies: Material Remains’, Mount Saint Vincent
University Art Gallery, Halifax N.S.
March: ‘MacNeil, Moir, Nordman’, Cape Breton University Art Gallery II, Sydney NS
2005
December: 'Life Drawing in Sydney & Antigonish: A Classic Tradition', Saint Francis
Xavier Art Gallery, Antigonish NS
2003
November: Sueandailies Gallery Inaugural Show, North Sydney N.
June- September: 'Happenings: New Work by Artists from the Permanent Collection',
University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery I, Sydney NS
August: 'in.sight Gallery Reunion Show', UCCB Gallery II, Sydney NS
2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998
in.sight Gallery, Sydney Mines NS
2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998
Pierscape, Whitney Pier N.S
2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995
Cape Breton Artists Association
University College of Cape Breton Art Gallery II, Sydney NS
1999
' Industrial Strength'
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax NS
1995
'Collective Viewing'
Saint Mary's University Art Gallery, Halifax NS
1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991
Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax NS
1994, 1993, 1990
Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax NS
1987, 1986, 1985
Ecphore, Halifax NS
Collections
Nova Scotia Art Bank
Cape Breton University permanent collection
CBC Nova Scotia
Kyösti Kakkonen, Finland
Minova Corporation, Finland
POP Pankkiliito osk. Bank Group, Finland
private collections Nova Scotia, St. John's Newfoundland, Montreal Quebec, Ottawa Ontario, Toronto Ontario, Calgary Alberta, New York, Munich, Prague, Dublin, Tallinn, Dubai, Melbourne, Helsinki, Turku, Lahti, Joensuu.
Book covers
Mona Knight 'Banjo Flats' Boularderie Island Press, 2017
Dr. Heather Sparling 'Reeling Roosters & Dancing Ducks: Celtic Mouth Music' Cape Breton University Press, 2014
Jason Holt 'Feeling Fine in Kafka's Burrow' AB Collector Publishing, 1994
Paintings in film
What Are Families For? 1993, director Ted Kotcheff
Recent Projects
2015: Cabot Trail Writers' Festival, poster image.
2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013: Art of Awareness and Art of Living projects with CB Regional Hospital Cancer Clinic; shows at Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design and Membertou Trade and convention Centre.
2013: Jacques Heurtubise Project: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia ArtSmart Projects; Mt. Carmel School, New Waterford, and Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design.
Onni Nordman is a painter from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. His home and studio are on the cliffs of South Bar, overlooking the mouth of Sydney Harbour, the watery highway to the Cabot Strait and Newfoundland.
Onni is the only child of Finnish immigrants Aulis and Toini Nordman. Aulis was born in Nuoramoinen, Sysmä, Toini in Sortavala, Rauta-Lahti. They came to Canada in 1951, were located to Cape Breton, the only Finnish speakers on the island. Onni arrived three years later. Onni’s first language was Finnish and says all three learned English together. The Nordmans adapted to their new country while maintaining strong ties to family in Finland, proud of their heritage.
Onni’s partner Paula Muise is of Acadian and Mi’kmaw descent, the family history dating to the marriage of a Native Mi’kmaw woman and one of the first French settlers of Canada, continuing for over four hundred years. The couple are active members in the visual arts and theatre community in the area. They collaborate on management of projects.
Cape Breton Island, while comprising a large area of the province of Nova Scotia, maintains a strong identity in itself. Besides the five Native communities all other residents represent generations of immigrants from Scotland, Ireland, Britain, Europe, the Caribbean, the earliest to farm and fish, later to work the coal mines and steel plants of the industrial expansion of the early twentieth century. Music, dance, storytelling abound. Traditions of Mi’kmaw, Acadian French, Gaelic, Caribbean, Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, Lebanese, Syrian, Hungarian people, and many more are valued and in evidence around the island, in community halls and concerts, on dinner tables and gatherings. Very few Finns.
Cape Breton is known widely for its amazing natural beauty and is cited often in international list of must see locations. Breathtaking ocean views, forests, beaches, wildlife, cultural riches make it an ideal vacation spot for people who want relaxed, uncrowded access to outdoor living. The rivers are great for fishing, canoeing. Hiking trails wind through the landscape. Ocean and Bras D’Or Lakes-- a large inland salt lake system- provide sailing or kayaking adventures. There are whale watching tours and sailing regattas. All over the island there are fabulous beaches, where water temperatures can reach 25C in August and September: sandy, rocky, ocean, salt lakes, rivers, fresh water lakes. There are several world class golf courses. Perhaps because winters can be so long and hard, the people of Cape Breton make the most of the warmer months. It is an island in the North Atlantic after all, with all the temperamental weather that such a location can produce.
The cultural atmosphere in Cape Breton is rich in tradition. It is known for traditional Mi’kmaw basket weaving, Scottish weaving, Acadian rug hooking and many other crafts and folk art, as well as vibrant music and performance arts. Most cultural exports are based in these traditions.
Onni Nordman’s work introduces a fresh approach to visual art that is not usually associated with Cape Breton. His work is unique, innovative and decidedly contemporary. It is linked to the great traditions of paintings while skillfully moving forward. Formally trained at Nova Scotia School of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax, he returned to Sydney in 1995 for what he thought would be a short time. Circumstances --his mother's health-- required that he stay on. He continued to work, painting and creating other projects and has been a driving force in the visual art scene in the community for years.
Onni has continued to work with great seriousness and perseverance. One is supposed to get better and he has. He nurtures an aura of seriousness and significance with an emphasis on painting as progressive, developmental, evolutionary. His expertise is a focused, logical mastery of form and structure. The work is not dour or dark. A show of Onni’s work leaves viewers with a memory of glorious colour. It invites viewers to create meaning from their own perceptions of the parallel worlds of imagination he creates.
2022 July - August: 'Max Planck Work', Ebenböckhaus, München / Munich Germany
10 Bulls
2017
directed by Onni Nordman
video by Madeline Yakimchuk Gryphon Media Productions
original score by art damage AKA Matthew Claener
produced by Paula Muise
http:www.Vimeo.com/onninordman/10bulls
From the Cape Breton Spectator October 2016--
https://capebretonspectator.com/2016/10/19/onni-nordman-ten-bulls-jessome/
Internationale Kunst Heute 2016
Martina Kolle, Herausgeberin
Dr. Ingrid Gardill, Kunsthistorikerin
IKH-PUBLISHING 2016
ISBN: 978-3-9816595-2-8
The Ten Bulls series at
Pasinger Fabrik, Kultur- und Bürgerzentrum der Landeshauptstadt München
April - June 2015
Thanks for support from
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $157 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.
Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L’an dernier, le Conseil a investi 157 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.
Landeshauptstadt München
Scarecrow Among the Chancellors audio description from the exhibition Bodies in Translation: Activist Art, Technology, and Access to Life at Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery.
http://bit.mat3rial.com/node/onni-nordman/