March 11 - March 31

Lyle Wilson has been involved in a career-long study of the history of painting and application techniques in Northwest Coast art. Lyle trained in printmaking at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design, but he is also an accomplished carver, painter and jewelry maker. His art skillfully brings together elements of traditional Haisla art with contemporary media to create beautiful works that reference his deep understanding of and pride in First Nations cultural history. The current collection of seven paintings were part of his 2012 solo exhibition, Paint, which was held at the Bill Reid Gallery. In every work in this collection you can readily see the quality of Lyle’s line, his brilliant eye for design, and his ability to balance tradition and innovation. In Raven Discovers Halibut Fishing, a painting of a traditional story within the shape of an oven mitt, the artist nods toward the historical decoration of everyday items, while a work such as Coastal Scene conveys the deep respect for and familiarity with the animals of the land, sea and sky. In this collection you will also find Lyle Wilson’s First Nations Map of British Columbia which he created while working on the Image Recovery Program at the Museum of Anthropology, UBC. Here he has attempted to illustrate the language groups that make up BC First Nations, and has created a regional “bestiary” that surrounds and embellishes the map. We invite you to enjoy all of Lyle Wilson’s work, which is available immediately.