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northbound
Guide yourself to great art this summer
Many of the thousands of people who tour the North every summer are intrigued by more than just mountains and moose; they come to seek the local flavour— the art and culture of this area.
Totem poles may easily attract the visitors’ eyes as they journey through the majestic and rugged territory of the Northwest, but a deeper experience with the arts and culture of the region awaits those who take the time to seek it.
Galleries and museums are one way to encounter art, but even more exciting is the visual art taking form in backyard sheds, country studios and at kitchen tables in some of the most remote corners of the beautiful valleys and islands of the region.
Some of these artists are pleased to invite people to their homes and studios to see their work and share the act of creating art itself.
Kiki van der Heiden, a full-time painter in Queen Charlotte City, Haida Gwaii, decided it was time for artists, who may not even have gallery representation, to be given the chance to show their work on their own terms.
She and another local artist, Simon Davies, gathered names, addressed and hours of operation for more than 40 artists in all communities on Haida Gwaii. Weavers, carvers, painters, jewellers, potters, sculptors and more can now be easily found within the folds of the Art Route brochure, available at the Queen Charlotte Visitor Information Centre and at other locations on the islands.
Art Route has its own distinctive logo, a red circle encompassing the initials “AR.” The artists featured in the guide display the logo in their windows, making a self-guided art tour a simple undertaking on the islands.
Now in its second year, Art Route has given artists like Chris Collison welcome exposure. Collison, who carves argillite, the slick black rock found on Haida Gwaii, has received enquiries and commissions from as far away as New York since his name appeared in the brochure.
Nancy Hett, a potter in Queen Charlotte City also enjoys having more people know about and stop by her studio, especially other potters.
This is one of the reasons Van der Heiden is so excited about Art Route; it connects the artists as well.
In a small community, she depends on the Internet as a way to connect and even collaborate with artists working with similar techniques and philosophies all over the world. But she also enjoys being in a collaborative with artists right in her backyard. The Art of Tea exhibit at the Haida Gwaii Museum last year gave van der Heiden a chance to work with ceramic artist Brian Eccles and photographer Marcia Morash, both from Haida Gwaii.
Not only was this inspiring for all of them, but it was good for each others’ development, says van der Heiden. The trio visited each others’ studios and gave feedback for the show.
Van der Heiden says her inspiration for the Art Route idea came from artist studio tours she has been on in places like Amsterdam (where she hails from) and Vancouver. She is planning a weekend open studio tour of island artists this November, as she feels it is important for the local community to meet the artists in their midst.
Other communities in the northwest have produced lists of artists and cultural events, but even without the ease of a brochure, visitors and locals alike can create their own tours with a little of their own research and imagination. Here are a few suggestions.
Kispiox ValleyThis beautiful river valley North of Hazelton has attracted a creative mix of people. From cattle ranchers and fly fishers to potters and painters, the area and the talented people who live here are worth a visit.
Start at Huel Pottery where you will find the signature blue and green glazes that potters Carole and Paul Huel make from clay found in the Skeena River. Directions to their studio can be found at http://kispiox.com/pottery, or by asking at the Visitor Info Centre in Hazelton.
Continue on to Leslie Barnwell’s home and gallery. Barnwell is a painter and poet whose paintings have been exhibited in Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Smithers, and Hazelton to name a few. She has a comprehensive website listing many of her creative neighbours, such as artisan woodworker and fine furniture builder Todd Stockner, the incredible carvings of Caril Chasens and Gitxsan carver Chuck Heit. Check out www.lesliesart.ca, or call her at (250) 842-6712.
If you happen to visit on the third weekend in July, don’t miss the Kispiox Music Festival, where most of these artists will be, if not displaying wares, dancing the night away by the beautiful Kispiox River.
On the Emily Carr TrailWhile you’ll never be able to meet her, Emily Carr has left a variety of writings and, of course, paintings that can pull you deeper into the experience of the Northwest.
In 1928, she made her second trip to northern villages by steamer up the coast and then by train along the Skeena to the Gitxsan villages of Kitwancool (Gitanyow), Kitwanga, Kispiox and Gitsegukla. Some of her sketches and memories from this time can be found in Doris Shadbolt’s Seven Journeys: The Sketchbooks of Emily Carr.
Other experiences are vividly recorded in short stories in her book Klee Wyck. Carr also visited the Nass Valley, Prince Rupert and the Queen Charlotte Islands.
The master carversA great way to learn more about totem poles is to buy Hilary Stewart’s Looking at Totem Poles, which is a guide to 110 poles in British Columbia. Below are a few highlights:
Bill Reid is arguably the most famous Northwest Coast artist and is credited with helping set in motion the revival of the traditional art forms. He was born and raised in Victoria, but his mother was from Haida Gwaii. He spent two summers carving and in 1978 raised the pole that still stands in front of the SHIP longhouse in Skidegate.
Robert Davidson was 22 years old in 1969, when he raised the first pole on Haida Gwaii in half a century. It still stands in front of St. John’s church in Old Massett. Stop in at nearby Sarah’s Haida Arts and Jewellery to find out more about this and other poles in the area.
Walter Harris recently received the Order of Canada, and a couple of years ago, the Governor General’s award for visual arts. He carved the pole in front of the Band Office in Kispiox Village near Hazelton and, along with Earl Muldoe and Vic Mowatt, the pole with the weeping woman by the river.
Qay’llnagaay or Sea Lion Town is where six poles were raised in 2000 and the site of an under-construction heritage centre near Skidegate on Haida Gwaii. Each pole represents villages of the southern Haida—Sgaang Gwaii (Ninstints), Hlgaagilda (Skidegate), T’aanuu, Skedans, Cumshewa and Ts’aahl. The figures on each pole represent each village’s crests, its lineage and part of its history. The master carvers were Tim Boyko, Norman Price, Giitaxaa, Jim Hart, Guujaaw and Garner Moody respectively.
Major galleriesDon’t miss the major galleries and museums of the region. Not only will they have exhibitions of some of the varied talents in the North, but their staff may be able to help you discover local artistic specialties.
In Prince George, the Two Rivers Gallery showcases local, national and international art.
‘Ksan Historical Village and Museum in Hazelton holds a stunning collection of local regalia in one of the many longhouses.
The Icehouse Gallery is a northwest coast artist’s co-op in Prince Rupert with up to 100 members. Located in the Atlin Terminal in Cow Bay, the gallery displays original work by local painters and artisans working in a variety of mediums.
Look for galleries in Smithers and Terrace as well.
Finding these artists may be a tricky task, but in such beautiful territory there are worse things than getting lost while looking for an artist and their wares.
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