Courtesy of Andrea Brousseau-Desbiens
Byron Samson was born in Wetaskiwin, Alberta and raised in Samson First Nation, Maskwacis, Alberta. Since grade school he has had an affinity for drawing. During his senior year of high school, his teacher turned him to realism. He was both fascinated and frustrated by the complexity and beauty of mastering realism in portraiture. Since then, he has strived to achieve the level of skill that he has attained and continues to create portraits for friends, family, and commissioned work.
He signs with his given name, Mistikonâpêw (miss-stick-ōh-nah-pay-yô) the Cree name given to him by his Mosom (grandfather). As far back as he can remember his mosom always pushed a little harder than the rest of his family to support Byron in his art. He would randomly buy him paints and sketchbooks, and even bought his first drafting table for Christmas. To honour his mosom, he signs every piece of work with the name his mosom chose for him. Soon he plans to change his name to his Cree name Mistikonâpêw legally.