Curriculum vitae
DAVID J. ROBINSON (also known as Nimki, his Algonquin name, meaning ‘Thunder’)
Algonquin artist & educator connecting land and art-based Indigenous knowledge with western practices.
b. 1983, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Currently working remotely for the Assembly of First Nations as a Senior Policy Analyst.
Education
2023 PhD candidate, Faculty of Medicine, Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
2018 Bachelor of Education, Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Teaching
BC Certified Teacher, Indigenous Enhancement, Vancouver School Board, Vancouver BC
Created a teaching methodology for analyzing data called the KIJIKATIG Cedar Carving Narrative Inquiry model
Installations & Commissions
2023-2022 Treasure Boxes, Vancouver School Board, Vancouver, BC
Sixteen 10’ tall red-cedar sculptures to hold cultural pieces that allude to story
2022 Longhouse Bench, UBC Longhouse, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Medicinal and Ceremony based bench gifted in a potlach ceremony
2021-2016 Thunderchild, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Installation of sculpture, Medicine Benches, and table, UBC Indigenous Garden
2020 Red Cedar Heartwood River sculpture, Lord Byng Secondary, Vancouver, BC
2017 Dancing Flames, Ponderosa Building Commemorative Sculpture, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Commissioned in honour of Dr. Jo-ann Archibald
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Kijikatig - A Renewal, Abbotsford Arts Council, Abbotsford, BC
2019 First Chip Fire Ceremony, UBC Indigenous Garden, Vancouver, BC
2019 Thunder, Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, UBC, Vancouver, BC
2017 Thunderbird Lightning Snake UBC Indigenous Garden, UBC, Vancouver, BC
2016 On the Land, Prado, Vancouver, BC
2015 Many Beings, MODO Community Fair, Stanley Park Pavilion, Vancouver, BC
Residencies
2023-2017 Lord Byng Secondary, Artist in Residence, Vancouver BC
2022-2017 xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (The Place Where We Grow) UBC Indigenous Garden, Artist in Residence, Vancouver BC
2021-2016 University of British Columbia, Artist in Residence, Vancouver BC
artist talks & presentations
2023 ‘Indigenous youth: Nurturing the next generation’ LINK
Speakers Andrea Reid, Dave Robinson, Dr. Amber Shilling. Angela Sterritt, Moderator, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
2023 ‘Sculpture & Mathematics’
Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP) Summer Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
2023 ‘100’ Sculpture & Engineering’
India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS), Vancouver BC
2023 ‘Truth and Reconciliation’
Healthy Youth Summit,Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (CIHR), Toronto ON
2022 ‘Climate Change’
Van Tech Secondary, Vancouver School Board, Vancouver BC
2021 - 2017 ‘Artist Talk’
Donors Dinner, UBC Indigenous Garden, Vancouver BC
2020 ‘Climate Change’
University Climate Change Coalition (UC3), Vancouver BC
2019 ‘Artist Talk’
The Canadian Bar Association Aboriginal Lawyers Forum, Vancouver BC
2019 ‘Sculpture & Mathematics’
Indigenous Math Symposium, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
2018 - 2015 ‘Sculpture & Mathematics’
Academic Summer Camp, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver BC
2015 - 2014 ‘Sculpture & Mathematics’
Indigenous Math Symposium, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
Related Professional Experience
Current
100’ Sculpture, educational project with multiple schools, Vancouver BC
Board of Directors, Indigenous Physical Activity Cultural Circle (IPACC), Vancouver BC
Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP) representative, Executive Students Association, UBC, Vancouver BC
Awards
2022 India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS), Innovative Technology Demonstration Project Grant, Vancouver BC
Press
Sachintha Wickramasinghe ‘First Nations Longhouse at UBC celebrates 30 years as a ‘home away from home’ for Indigenous students, University of British Columbia, August 8, 2023 LINK
Arrthy Thayaparan, ‘UBC's First Nations Longhouse celebrates 30 years of supporting Indigenous students’, CBC News, Aug 9, 2023 LINK
Staff, ‘Indigenous Directed Studies Course in Carving’, UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems 2022 LINK
Staff, ‘Indigenous Education at Byng’, Lord Byng Secondary School, Oct 17, 2022 LINK
Gian-Paolo Mendoza, ‘Students create sculpture inspired by Indigenous stories via online classes’, CBC News, June 18, 2020 LINK
Randolph W. Wilson, ‘Environmental Sustainability and Customary Indigenous Law’, Canadian Bar Association, Oct 4, 2020 LINK
Bridgette Wilson, ‘First Nations carver laments loss of western red cedars’, CBC News, May 18, 2019 LINK
FNHL Staff, ‘UBC NITEP student talks about his ‘remarkable’ practicum project’, University of British Columbia, March 2, 2019 LINK
Staff, ‘Drawing from the Land to Transform Indigenous Food Systems’, UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems, 2018 LINK
FNHL Staff, ‘UBC Farm’s Indigenous Health and Research Education Garden gets Musqueam name’, University of British Columbia, Oct 26, 2016 LINK
Staff, ‘Student Stories: Meet Dave Robinson’, UBC Faculty of Education NITEP, 2018 LINK
Staff, ‘Dave Robinson – Boxer, Carver, Future Teacher’, UBC Faculty of Education NITEP, 2016 LINK
FNHL Staff, ‘UBC Farm’s Indigenous Health and Research Education Garden gets Musqueam name’, University of British Columbia, Oct 26, 2016 LINK
Rafferty Baker, ‘Pole raising ceremony adds new art to UBC Indigenous farm’, CBC News, Oct 3, 2016 LINK
Tina Lovgreen, ‘Aboriginal education festival comes to B.C. school’, CBC News, April 29, 2016 LINK
Dave Robinson, ‘Dave Robinson, Year 1 NITEP Teacher Candidate’, UBC, 2013 LINK
Brenna Brooks, ‘At-risk youth fight to succeed’, The Voice (Langara College), Oct 25, 2012 LINK
Ryan Banagan, ‘Dave Robinson coaches jabs’, The Voice (Langara College), Oct 25, 2012 LINK
Art Donations
2023 Crystal Snake, Sir John Franklin Elementary School, Vancouver BC
2022 Finding Mino Pimatsowin, Minwashin Centre in Rouyn-Noranda, sculpture permanent installation, in collaboration with Dr. Jocelyne Robinson, Ville Marie, Quebec
2022 Pith, DUDES Club (Indigenous men's wellness), Vancouver BC
2022 Bench, Prudence Cedar Sculpture, Red Cedar Heartwood River ZOOM Carving, Great Whale , Spindle Cedar Lord Byng Secondary School, Vancouver BC
2022 Cedar Medicine Wheel, Presidents Office, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
2021 Whale, Vancouver School Board Head Office, Vancouver BC
2021 The Purple Heart Beaver, LFS Dean’s Office, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
2020 Fire Cedar, Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP), University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
2020 Emergence (Zoom Carving), East Vancouver Education Center, Vancouver School Board, Vancouver BC
2020 Snake with Ants, Anti-bullying event, École Jules Quesnel Elementary, Vancouver BC
2018 Mother’s Child, The Canadian Bar Association Aboriginal Lawyers Forum, Vancouver BC