After Williams Lake First Nation revealed its preliminary findings of the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School investigation in January 2022, a Williams Lake artist was inspired to create a painting.
Renee Albinati has worked as a social worker assistant at Knucwentwecw Society for three years.
She said when she heard there could be 93 potential graves at the mission site she had to paint something.
From the top of the painting a pair of brown hands hold up rocks and trees and roots with a yellow glow around them.
Beneath the hands the black shadows of children standing on the ground are in a group, with some of the children’s hands raised to the sky while an adult is beneath the surface lifting another child up.
To the left one child is helping another one up the side of a small hill.
When asked what the painting depicts she responded, “these little guys were found and Creator was waiting for them.”
Her painting is displayed in the front window of the society’s office with dozens of small teddy bears draped across the window with a sign saying “215 Every Child Matters,” referring to the Kamloops Residential School findings.
She has painted since she was four years old and produced quite a few paintings.
Another of her paintings that honours Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is also on display at her work.
While she does not have Indigenous heritage, Albinati said she has the honour of painting about Indigenous issues.
“I also paint drums. I work in this community and have known community members for a long time.”
READ MORE: ‘93 is our number’: WLFN reveals St. Joseph’s Mission preliminary findings
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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