Colourful canvases: Indigenous artwork on display at paramedic stations in Nova Scotia

Friends United puts canvases in the spotlight The Friends United initiative aims to provide talented and emerging Indigenous artists with the exposure they deserve.

A partnership between Nova Scotia’s Emergency Health Services and a local arts initiative is seeing work done by Indigenous artists on display at select paramedic stations and offices across the province.

Rolf Bouman is the founder of Friends United, a Cape Breton-based group that gives emerging Indigenous artists support and exposure.

Bouman and his son Lucas came up with the idea for their latest project.

“My son approached me, he’s a paramedic, his life was always about healing and helping people, first as a firefighter, then as a paramedic, and so then, of course, when you approach Friends United, same thing, it’s much about healing. So we said, ’Let’s put this together.’”

Both Bouman and his son say they see the partnership as beneficial for both paramedics and artists.

“The first people coming to any scene, for any officers required, are paramedics. So we said, ‘We can help in any way,’ and help the paramedics to see many different sides of Indigenous art and culture also, and that’s what we’re doing,” said Bouman.

He adds it’s important for people to see work done by the Indigenous population.

“There has to be a lot more reverence towards First Nations people, helping them in many ways, but also, we have to look at the simple fact that they were here first,” Bouman said.

“They’re called ‘First Nations’ for a reason.”

Over the course of the partnership with EHS, Friends United will donate up to 60 pieces of art.

Five of the pieces will be donated to the provincial support office building in Dartmouth, N.S.

Paintings from Mi’kmaw artists Loretta Gould and Mandy Julian are currently on display at the Sydney, N.S., station.

“We started in Sydney already, this was six months ago, now it’s here,” Bouman said during Dartmouth’s unveiling ceremony.

“Let’s see where else it takes us -- hopefully to all the bases in the province.”