Jordan Stranger got started by wheat pasting his art around Winnipeg because it was cheap, fast, and harmless. First came community, then came the city: people began to recognize his work, which led to new opportunities and contracts that displayed his art in a more permanent way. But is public art ever permanent? Today on The Artalogue, Madison Beale talks with Anishinaabe artist and graphic designer Jordan Stranger (@totemdoodem), originally from Peguis First Nation, about how those early street-level moves grew into iconic Winnipeg murals, major graphic design projects, and public art that people now instantly connect with places like The Forks.

We dig into early steps like drawing as a kid, unlocking new confidence through illustration and great teachers at Red River College, and learning how mentors can change the trajectory of an artist’s life. Jordan shares how community support helped him take the leap into self-employment, plus what it really looks like when “full-time artist” becomes "full-time everything", with administration taking up lots of an artist's valuable time.

Stranger explains how Ojibwe teachings and spiritual practice guide his choices, why he wants his art to encourage reflection as well as connection, and how public art can challenge the way people think about Canada’s history, truth, and reconciliation.

Jordan closes with hard-earned advice on vulnerability, honesty, and the business side of creativity, with his major takeaway being learning your worth as an artist.

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