I have been avidly exploring the arts, primarily painting, all of my life. My artistic effort is both my personal approach to Spirit and ideally a source of inspiration to others. The theme of my art is love.
Ritchie Sinclair (Stardreamer)
January 2nd 1957, Thunder Bay, Scottish Lineage.
Apprenticed with Norval Morrisseau, 1979-1985, founding member of the Thunderbird School of Shamanistic Art.
Art Exhibitions
- • 1977 – Group Exhibition – “A.S.E. Spring Show” – Scarborough Civic Centre.
- • 1984 – Solo Exhibition – “Celestial Symbolism” – Synchron Associates, Toronto
- • 1987 – Solo Exhibition – “The Rabbit and the Resurrection – Gallery St. Luke, Toronto
- • 1988 – Group Exhibition for the Labour Council of Canada, Toronto City Hall.
- • 1989 >> 2004 – Permanent Showcase and annual exhibitions, Omega Centre, Toronto.
- • 1990 – Solo Exhibition – Africanadian Art – Second Story, Toronto
- • 1992 – Solo Exhibition – “Angelic Alchemy” – The Omega Centre, Toronto
- • 1993 – Solo Exhibition – “In the Spirit of Harmony” – Won Tai Sin Temple, Markham, Ontario.
- • 1994 – Solo multi-media art exhibition, “The Art of Bridging, 1994” – The Omega Centre, Toronto
- • 1995 – Touring Exhibition – “Alpha-Omega, A 21st Century Vision Quest”, Ontario Public/Secondary Schools.
- • 1995 – Solo Exhibition – Spirit Unearthed – The Omega Centre, Toronto
- • 1997 – Solo and Group Exhibitions held at BCE Place, Toronto
- • 2001 – Solo Exhibition – “Stardreamer – Pen & Inks” – Original Papers Gallery, Toronto
- • 2004 – Solo Exhibition – “The Inspirational Spirit” – The Omega Centre, Toronto
- • 2006 – Group Exhibition/auction – C.A.M.H. for Dare and Elder Vern Harper, Toronto
- • 2006 – Group Exhibition – Sole Vishuns – Canadian Institute for the Blind, Toronto
- • 2007 – Resident Artist – McMichael Canadian Collection, Kleinburg.
- • 2008 – Solo Exhibition – “Spirit” – Scollard Street Gallery, Toronto.
- • 2010 – Group Exhibition – Winter Solstice Celebration and Ceremony – The Strada, Toronto
- • 2013 – Group Exhibition – “Artists Exposed” – Georgina Arts Centre, Sutton
- • Feb 2014 – Group Exhibition – “Inspired by Love” – La Boheme, Toronto
- • May 2014 – Two-person Exhibition – “Lovescapes” – La Boheme, Toronto
- • Dec 2014 – Two-person Exhibition – “Spirit ISland” – La Boheme, Toronto
Special Commissions
- • 1987 – Commissioned to create 80 paintings for Originart Canada.
- • 1988 – Commissioned by Tridel Corp. to create “The Birches”, a condominium mural, Scarborough, Ontario.
- • 1989 – Commissioned by Kahu Corp. to create paintings for the corporate sponsors of Toronto’s Skydome.
- • 1989 – Commissioned by Second Story Inc. to create 12 paintings depicting ancient African shamanism.
- • 1997 – Commissioned by the Algonquin Tea Company to create six paintings for a line of Organic Teas.
- • 1998 – Commissioned by Morrissey Inc., to create a mural dedicated to Norval Morrisseau.
- • 2003 – Commissioned by the United Church of Canada to create a recreation centre mural.
- • 2004 – Commissioned by the Canadian Labour Congress to create a national Earth Day Poster.
- • 2011 – Commissioned by Kolapore Springs Fishery to create “Spirit of the Sacred Trout”.
- • 2012 – Commissioned by the Red Bear Healing Home to create “Red Bear Healing Vision”.
Socially Conscious Artistic Initatives
- • 1986 – “Lighthouse, A Beacon of Hope in a time of Despair”, a two-panel anti-apartheid painting toured the Greater Toronto Area with Archbishop Desmond Tutu including Harbourfront, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, St. Paul’s Church, Toronto and St. Matthews Church, Markham, Ontario,
- • 1990 – “Aftershock” a painting depicting the global village response to the Chernobyl disaster was presented in association with the Children of Chernobyl Fund at Convocation Hall, Toronto, to the people of Chernobyl. It later became the cover of a Ukrainian book detailing the disaster.
- • 1994 – “The Meeting Place”, a 28 panel mural was chosen as the centerpiece of the First International Toronto Pow Wow, held at Toronto’s Skydome. This 16ft x 21ft “spirit shield” hung from the Skydome’s retractable roof above thousands of First Nations dancers, drummers, singers and other attendees.
- • 1995 – “Alpha-Omega, A 21st Century Vision Quest” was the centrepiece painting for 1995 Earthday celebrations at Toronto City Hall including being displayed under ultra-violet lights at centre stage during evening performances covered by national media.
- • 1997 – Ritchie’s “Heartfelt Remembrance Crests” were worn by more than 50,000 people attending memorial services for Princess Diana & Mother Teresa in 1997. Assisted by the Canadian government on Sept 1-3 1999 the crests were worn by those attending Swissair Flight 111 memorials in Nova Scotia and those attending the “Canada Loves New York” initiative of December 2001.
- • 1999 >> Updated 2006 – Wrote and published the popular e-book about the Woodland School art movement entitled, “Woodland Gold. A 21st Century Guide to the Woodland Art Movement”.
- • 2008 – Launched a comprehensive website at “Morrisseau.com” that blew the whistle on a country-wide forgery syndicate producing thousands of fake Norval Morrisseau paintings. Ritchie defended his assertions in multiple civil court cases filed to silence him.
