Grand Portage National Monument is proud to announce the opening of a new temporary exhibit featuring the arts, crafts, and personal memorabilia of Grand Portage Ojibwe artist Raymond Duhaime. The Raymond Duhaime exhibit will open November 9 in the Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center’s Cultural Demonstration Room.
Theexhibit features an extensive sampling from the master artisan’s collection of woodcarvings, headdresses, beadwork, clay sculpture, garments, and assorted crafts that Duhaime produced for sale to the tourism market for nearly a half century. In addition, a selection of Duhaime’s World War II memorabilia will be on display detailing his military service as a paratrooper in Europe and North Africa.
Born in 1909, Raymond Duhaime was raised by his grandmothers in the Grand Portage community. The gifted and versatile artist learned his trade from his grandmothers, community elders, and much self-teaching. He worked briefly as a craftsman in the Grand Portage community prior to joining the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the early 1930s.
He worked as a cook in the lumber camps and upon leaving the CCC, continued to cook, working in hospitals and restaurants. He enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve his country during World War II, seeing action in Europe and North Africa as a paratrooper. After the war, he resumed his civilian trade before he returned home to Grand Portage and resumed his occupation as a craftsman for the next 35 years.
Items provided for display in the exhibit are on loan from the private collection of Lorraine Wipson.
All are welcome to join in the celebration of Raymond Duhaime’s life as an artist.
The Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center is operating on its winter schedule hours; open Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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