Remembering Benjamin Chee Chee

Ernie Bies, who profiled his close friend in the December-January Canada’s History, shares his memories of the gifted artist.

Interview by Nancy Payne 

 — Posted January 8, 2019

His star burned brightly but all too briefly, leaving behind both great art and a tragic story. Benjamin Chee Chee’s stylized Canada geese are instantly familiar to most Canadians, but the struggles the Ojibwa artist encountered throughout his life are less well known. Ernie Bies, who met Chee Chee more than forty years ago, spoke to Canada’s History features editor Nancy Payne about his friend.

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You can read Ernie’s article in the December 2018-January 2019 issue of Canada’s History.

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