February 18 - March 12

First Nations of the Northwest Coast have a long history of sophisticated graphic imagery. Although printmaking started in the mid-1960s, the graphic tradition has its roots in painted imagery on flat surfaces such as dance screens, house fronts and bentwood boxes. Henry Speck’s serigraphs of 1964 are generally considered the first foray into western print media. Since that time there has been a great flourishing of printmaking, drawing, and painting among Northwest Coast First Nation artists. The formal design language found in Northwest Coast art readily lends itself to these media. We are pleased to present a stellar collection of prints, drawings and paintings including four paintings by Joe David, including his 1993 Welcome Dancer which combines painting and portions of a print (Adoption of Robert Davidson) made for his 1992 potlatch. There are also three Lyle Wilson paintings that were in his catalogued exhibition Paint, accomplished in his clean, elegant style (such as the refined Split Salmon painting which speaks of the Haisla tradition of honouring the salmon each season), as well as the late Isaac Tait’s (1965-2000) lovely Dogfish Woman and Shaman’s Charm, and Mark Henderson’s (1953-2016) serene image of herons in a tree, called Gathering Place, and his original poster image for the 1993 Canoe Festival. Of course we have a terrific selection of prints, including Susan Point’s new work Pacific Spirit, Kelly Cannell’s Kaleidoscope, and prints by other favourites such as Bill Reid, Maynard Johnny Jr., Alison Bremner, Cori Savard, Andy Everson and many others.