John Ferris, a proud band member of Constance Lake First Nation, has been a lifelong artist. After 10 years with CN Rail, he pursued formal art education, gaining acceptance to the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1986 and later studying Graphic Design at George Brown College. He also trained under Master Portrait Painter Michael John Angel, deepening his understanding of classical techniques, anatomy, and art history.
After six years of study in Toronto, John returned north to Longlac to continue his artistic career. In 1994, he created and taught a successful art course for First Nations artists in Thunder Bay. He also taught in elementary schools across the region through Ontario Arts Council funding.
In 2001, he founded the Keewaydenong Art Camp for Indigenous youth and established the Aboriginal Artworks Group of Northern Ontario (AAGNO), which hosts annual fine arts and crafts shows featuring over 250 artists. He also designed and taught “Contemporary Aboriginal Artistic Design” at Confederation College from 1998 to 2010.
John continues to teach traditional art in correctional centres and schools. His latest initiative, Ed-Digenous Traditions, develops Indigenous Learning Kits aligned with curriculum standards, aiming to connect education with Indigenous art and culture.
