Born in Thompson, Manitoba, Medicine Bear comes from a proud lineage of First Nations artists, knowledge keepers, and storytellers. His mother, Pat Bruderer (Half Moon Woman), is a renowned birch bark biting artist who has helped preserve one of the oldest Indigenous art forms. Although he was born into a First Nations family and grew up in a large First Nations community, he was not raised with close connections to his Cree culture. His grandmother, like many Survivors and descendants of Survivors, was profoundly affected by the legacy of the residential school system, and many traditional teachings were disrupted through generations of forced assimilation.

Later in life, Medicine Bear began reconnecting with his culture through ceremony, mentorship, and traditional art. That reconnection became a central part of his healing journey and continues to guide both his personal life and his work today.

As a young man, Medicine Bear struggled with identity, racism, and belonging. By the age of sixteen, he became involved in gang life, spending thirteen years caught in a cycle of violence, addiction, and incarceration. Those experiences profoundly changed his life, but they did not define his future.

In 2006, Medicine Bear began a new path of healing through ceremony, mentorship, and carving under the guidance of his late mentor, Gyuauustees. Around the same time, he learned he had a daughter, a life-changing moment that strengthened his commitment to creating a different future for himself and for those who would one day hear his story.

For nearly two decades, Medicine Bear has remained committed to living a clean and sober life while travelling to First Nations communities and cultural gatherings, sharing his artwork, experiences, and message of resilience. Through Medicine Bear Arts, he combines traditional artistry with storytelling to encourage cultural pride, personal responsibility, and hope.

Medicine Bear's Positive Youth Engagement Talks are honest, heartfelt conversations that encourage youth to recognize their own potential while exploring the realities of gangs, addiction, identity, and the importance of reconnecting with culture, family, and community. His presentations are rooted in lived experience and demonstrate that healing, growth, and positive change are possible.

Whether speaking with students, youth groups, families, or community organizations, Medicine Bear's goal is to create a safe and respectful space where meaningful conversations can inspire lasting change.

Medicine Bear is currently accepting bookings throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan for schools, First Nations, Métis communities, youth organizations, conferences, cultural events, and community gatherings.

To learn more about bringing a Positive Youth Engagement Talk to your community, please contact Medicine Bear Arts. We would be honoured to discuss your community's needs and explore how we can work together to inspire and empower the next generation.