Rick was born in Smith Falls Ontario and spent his early years in Wilton and Odessa Ontario. He worked for Northern Telecom and Nortel for 30 years, and currently lives in Napanee, Ontario with his wife Muriel. He belongs to the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation. 

Rick is an author of four Historical Fiction books and one fiction novel. I Am Algonquin (2013), Algonquin Spring (2015), Algonquin Sunset (2017) were published by Dundurn Press. Crossfield Publishing of St Mary’s Ontario published the final novel of the series Algonquin Legacy that came out in 2021, plus Crossfield also published Rick’s new novel The Elk Whistle Warrior Society 2023.

The Algonquin Quest series takes place during the years of 1320 to 1350’s. It follows an Algonquin Native family unit as they fight to survive in the harsh climate of warfare, survival from the elements and the constant quest for food of this pre-contact era. His readers are introduced to the Algonquin, Anishinaabe, Lakota, Mi´kmaq, Mohawk, and Lakȟóta, languages as they are used in the vernacular in the four novels. The books are read in Native Studies classes in Canada.

Rick’s fifth book is called The Elk Whistle Warrior Society and is about a secret society of Native women who hunt down human traffickers and murderers of Native women and abusers of Native children. All the women have either a masters or PhD degree and a Martial Arts black belt. They do not use guns, only the weapons of their ancestors. 

Rick is a Knowledge Keeper for the Limestone School Board, the Algonquin Lakeshore Separate School Board and the Upper Canada School Board. Rick goes into schools ,with his Native Tickle Bag and tells stories of Indigenous live pre-contact. 

Dakota is a Cree artist and co-owner of W.C. Creatives, where he and his partner offer modern takes on native jewellery, fashion and crafts. He works alongside his life and business partner Jaylene Cardinal.

Dakota uses multiple mediums in his work and can be found sharing his talents at art classes and painting workshops with Jaylene. The couple believe that art can help the world become not only more understanding and considerate but a prettier and happier place to live.

Learn more about Dakota and his other feature installation, The Bear in me, at the button below.