It never snows in Vancouver
When people call British Columbia “Lotos Land” or “the California of Canada,” they’re not just talking about the alternative cultures or the casual standards of dress. They’re also talking about the...
View ArticleThe anomaly of argillite
I love argillite. Of all the media used by the First Nations artists of the Pacific Northwest, argillite has by far the most mystique and romance, as well as the greatest visual appeal. Argillite is a...
View ArticleGary Minaker Russ, “Thunderbird Capturing Killer Whale”
The more I see of Gary Minaker Russ’ work, the more I consider him the leading argillite carver working today. His attention to detail, his variety of designs, and his restrained use of inlay all...
View ArticleThe 2013 Mature Student Award Recipients
Last weekend, I flew north to Terrace to give out the Mature Student Award at the Freda Diesing School graduation. This was the fourth year I have sponsored the award, and the third in which one main...
View ArticleAngelo Cavagnaro: “Supernatural Flounder”
When Angelo Cavagnaro was completing his projects for his second year at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Arts, senior adviser Dempsey Bob stopped by his work bench. “What’s that?” Bob...
View ArticleThe 2013 Freda Diesing School Year End Exhibit
This year’s graduation exhibit at the Freda Diesing School was held on April 19 and 20. It was by far the weakest of the five I have attended. In previous years, there have always been one or two...
View ArticleThe right not to vote
As I write, my native British Columbia is halfway through an election. As usual, pundits looking for a subject to pronounce upon have noticed the increasing decline in voter turn out in the last couple...
View ArticleDiana Adams: How an artist should approach a gallery
At First Nations art galleries in Vancouver, Mitch and Diana Adams have a reputation as an effective sales team. Being the artist, Mitch does much of the talking, but because Diana at one remove from...
View ArticleMitch Adams: “Dancer”
Mitch Adam’s “Dancer” is an example of how art keeps surprising me. I first picked up the piece (which fits comfortably in the palm of my hand), while having a late breakfast at the Northern Motor Inn...
View ArticleCommissioning a piece of Northwest Coast art
Sometimes, you may find an artist whose work you admire, but have trouble finding the exact piece you want to buy. Or maybe the artist is selling privately, and few of their works are available on the...
View ArticleReview: Salmon’n'Bannock restaurant
Last week at the Vancouver Folk Festival, my dinner was pulled bison on bannock from Salmon’n'Bannock catering. The meal was so far above what I expected that yesterday, when my editor flew into town,...
View ArticleKelly Robinson: “Ancestor of Today”
Most of the Northwest Coast art in my townhouse is in the formline style favored by the Northern First Nations in British Columbia. However, I am always willing to learn more about other coastal...
View ArticleCarol Young, “Wind-Rider”
I have been meaning to buy from Haida artist Carol Young for a couple of years, but, until now my spare cash and opportunities haven’t coincided. Not only was Young the first recipient of the Mature...
View ArticleExtrovert / introvert
Ask most people in North America, and they can tell you whether they are an introvert or an extrovert. The terms are by far the best-known pieces of psychological jargon today, far more familiar than...
View ArticleCharles Edenshaw, Bill Reid, and the Northwest Coast Revival
The Charles Edenshaw exhibit currently at the Vancouver Art Gallery is a rare opportunity to understand not only one of Canada’s greatest artists, but also his influence. The odds are against these two...
View ArticleTrying for a glimpse of Edenshaw
Thanks to the Vancouver Art Gallery’s exhibit, I not only have a greater appreciation of Charles Edenshaw as an individual artist, but a greater understanding of his key role on the Renaissance of...
View ArticleThe cracked but earnest world of Joan Aiken’s Wolves Chronicles
Imagine, if you will, a 19th Century England ruled by James III, popularly known as Good King Jim, and forever bedeviled by the Hanoverian supporters of Bonnie Prince George. It’s a world where wolves...
View ArticleCarol Young, “Wolf Mask”
As an artist, Carol Young has gone from strength to strength, so when her “Wolf Mask” became available for sale, I jumped at the chance to buy. In the not-too-distance future, I may not be able to...
View ArticleThe 2014 Freda Diesing Graduation Exhibit
On April 25, I flew to Terrace for the sixth time to attend the graduation exhibit at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Carving. As usual, the graduation was also a gathering of alumni, and the...
View ArticleDempsey Bob’s “North” exhibit
Many artists in their mid-Sixties are past their best work. Their art no longer engages them, and what made them original has grown stale, expressed only in minor works. Then there is Tahltan/Tlingit...
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