Since his childhood in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Leonard has been strongly attracted by the legends of the Mi'kmaq. Their stories range from the benevolent to the gruesome, from the spiritual to the downright evil. The fine detail of his drawings reflects his training as a printmaker while pursuing his art studies.
Beginning in 2003, Leonard Paul engaged in a new project, a series of ink drawings illustrating the legends of the Mi’kmaq. In keeping with ever-evolving aboriginal storytelling tradition, Paul’s treatment of his subject matter blended time-honoured stipple technique with an iconography that borrowed liberally from contemporary fantasy genres. The series of ten drawings centres on Kluskap, the hero who defeated the forces of chaos to make the world fit for humans. **
Leonard is currently writing and illustrating his own book of Mi’kmaq Legends, about a young boy who listened to the wonderful stories told by his mother at bedtime. The young boy’s powerful imagination comes to life where super heroes and dark forces clash between reality and the spiritual world, to the point the boy must challenge his own inner fears. The book will be in full colour and contain Leonard's original illustrations.
Mr. Paul is interested in reviving the art of ‘story-telling’ for the children.
To learn more of the Mi'kmaq legend stories visit
