June 10, 2008

Six B.C. First Nations artists were honoured today by Premier Gordon Campbell and Keith Mitchell, chair of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation, at the second annual BC Creative Achievement Awards for Aboriginal Art.

"The artists honoured today reflect the spirit and generosity of the First Nations history, traditions and culture," said Premier Campbell, who is director of the BC Achievement Foundation. "Through their carving, painting, clothing and weaving, these recipients share with all British Columbians their interpretation of the stories which have been passed down through the generations."

Mary Michell, a Carrier artist from Burns Lake, was named the recipient of the 2008 BC Lifetime Creative Achievement Award for Aboriginal Art. This award recognizes First Nations artists whose dedication to their work has had a profound impact on both their community and First Nations culture.

The five recipients of the juried competition, the BC Creative Achievement Awards for Aboriginal Art, were:

• Bruce Alfred (Kwakwaka'wakw, Namgis)
• Reg Davidson (Haida)
• Charles W. Elliott (Coast Salish, Tsartlip)
• Debra Sparrow (Coast Salish, Musqueam)
• Daniel Tom (St'at'ime Nation, Seton Lake Band)

The BC Creative Achievement Awards for Aboriginal Art were created to recognize the important role of First Nations art in British Columbia's history and cultural identity.

June 9, 2008

The City of Vancouver's public art program unveiled "People Amongst the People" by Coast Salish artist Susan A. Point today. The three carved red cedar gateways serve as entry points to the totem pole area at Stanley Park and as a tribute to the Coast Salish peoples of the area.

June 6, 2008

The Spirit Wrestler Gallery is very pleased to present the work of the graduating class of the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art and their instructors: Dempsey Bob, Stan Bevan, and Ken McNeil. The school is part of the Northwest Community College in Terrace, British Columbia and is now in its second year of operation. The gallery is honoured to work with and support this valuable institution and to assist with the development and education of future artists.

Our thanks to Dean Heron for providing photos of the school in Terrace, BC.

• June 7 (10 AM) Student's artwork available for purchase.
• June 7 (2 PM) Please join us for a gallery reception and an opportunity to meet the 2nd Year student artists and their instructors from the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art.

• Titus Auckland (Tsimshian, Haisla)
• Dean Heron (Kaska, Tlingit)
• Henry R. Kelly (Nisga'a, Tsimshian)
• James H. Lewis (Tahltan, Tlingit, Tsimshian)
• Geo (George) McKay (Nisga'a)
• Jacqueline R. McNeil (Tsimshian, Nisga'a)
• Arlene E. Ness (Gitxsan)

Additional artwork is en route with the students and will be added to the online preview as they arrive. Artwork from Stan Bevan, Dempsey Bob and Freda Diesing are available for immediate purchase.

The Spirit Wrestler Gallery is an international leader in cross-cultural art exhibitions. Featuring museum-quality artwork from three cultures: the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest Coast, the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic and the Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand). The conversations between these works from three corners of the world tell stories that offer both comparison and contrast making the gallery a truly unique place to visit.

We sincerely believe in the cross-cultural connection between aboriginal artists and have built our reputation on this philosophy. The world is becoming increasingly smaller as artists fly in to attend overseas conferences, cultural gatherings, and artist workshops. Many of these artists are participating in art collaborations or securing international commissions. Artists communicate through their art — bridging frontiers, languages and cultural boundaries. These lines are now becoming blurred as cultures also often share similar techniques, subject matter and designs.

Located in the heart of historic Gastown in Vancouver, we ship, insure and broker artwork to anywhere in the world.

The name of the gallery comes from the book by James Houston of the same name, which tells the story of a young shaman being trained to realize his power in the Canadian Arctic. The name reflects the art of both Inuit and Northwest Coast cultures, which share the animist perspectives of transformation and regeneration inherent in their belief.