March 16, Discover the Art of this Land

Kay Meek Centre Studio Theatre (1700 Mathers Avenue, West Van), Free
An Evening of Dialogue exploring Coastal Salish artistic expression with internationally renowned artists, Xwa lack tun, Charles Elliot, Stan Green and Lyle Wilson, facilitated by Bill McLennan, Curator of the Pacific Northwest at the Museum of Anthropology . A rare opportunity to view images of Coast Salish masterworks located in museum collections around the world.
Pre-registration recommended, call 604-925-7220 to reserve your seat and for information.

Bill McLennan is a Curator, Pacific Northwest, UBC Museum of Anthropology. Bill's project involvements include the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre, U’’Mista Cultural Centre at Alert Bay and the Nuyumbalees Society Museum at Cape Mudge, Expo’86 in Vancouver, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the First Nations House of Learning at UBC, and Vancouver International Airport.
Presented one of the public lectures on Northwest Coast Art for the 10th anniversary of the Thaw Collection at the Otsego Institute, Fenimore Art Museum. Presently is a member of the advisory committee for the development of a new programme at Northwest Community College in Terrace B.C. for First Nations Artists.

Bill has won many awards including, “Certificate of Design excellence” from Print Magazine, “President’s Service Award for Excellence” from UBC, and as co-author with Karen Duffek of the book The Transforming Image, Painted Arts of Northwest Coast First Nations, which received the “Award for Outstanding Achievement” from the Canadian Museums Association, as well as the “Certificate of Merit” from the British Columbia Historical Federation.

Xwa lack tun (Rick Harry) is a Squamish Nation artist whose public and private works are recognized internationally. Xwa lack tun is recognized for his contribution to art education, inspiring school students in classrooms and through art projects he has worked with schools. Rick's father, Pekuln was a hereditary chief, originally from the Seymour Creek area. Xwa lack tun was born and raised in Squamish. His mother was originally from Alert Bay (Kwagiulth, Coast Salish) . He took his artistic education from Capilano College and Emily Carr, but mostly his learnings came from project experience. Xwa lack tun recently won a juried commission of a large scale, public sculpture at Ambleside Park, West Vancouver. The sculpture, Spirit of the Mountain, will be dedicated on March 17, 2007.

Charles Elliot (Temoseng) — A Saanich First Nation artist from Tsartlip received the Order of British Columbia in 2005. Charles worked tirelessly for four decades to revive the Coast Salish Art discipline. Through extensive research, Mr. Elliott was able to locate images and information on the symbolic imagery and language of the Coast Salish people, which he brought back to life in his artwork. He has produced many notable carvings, from special commissions to ambassadorial works, such as the Queen's Baton for the 1994 Commonwealth Games, and the creation of a Talking Stick for Nelson Mandela.

Stan Green is a contemporary Stó:lo artist who uses the traditional forms and designs of his people in his work. He studied at the Northwest Coast art school at K'san where he learned from such masters as Robert Davidson. Stan began carving at the age of 13. In 1978 he did his first Salish designs for the limited edition prints, "Human and Thunderbird" and "Man with Wolves", which are considered to be the first examples of pure Salish design to be marketed in the Northwest Coast art scene. He was invited to carve at Expo 86, representing the Salish people and has traveled to Japan where a 27’ pole that he carved was raised in Yokohama. Stan Greene is devoted to the advancement of Salish culture as today there are only a handful of artists that understand the Salish art form. (source: http://www.xaytem.ca)

Lyle Wilson is a Haisla artist from Kitamaat village, which is near the town site of Kitamaat, British Columbia, Canada. He attended the University of British Columbia to pursue a career in art education. Finding time spent in a studio more compelling, he left to pursue his own artistic interests at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design. He graduated with a diploma in printmaking and began to develop his individual personal style. This artistic style has its roots in graphics, but also envelopes his three-dimensional works in wood and jewellery.

He is an Artist in Residence at the University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology (MOA). A solo exhibition of his work opened at the MOA in 1989 and travelled to eight other venues. He has produced major commissions in Vancouver for the First Nations House of Learning, the Canadian Institute for the Blind and the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, as well as for the Canadian Consulate in Osaka, Japan. (source: Spirit Wrestler gallery website)