How I wish you could all have been at the opening of the
Timescapes exhibition, featuring Taan’s Moons felt artworks and drawings
created by 70 young and talented Haida Gwaii students as well as five other projects created by students in BC, at the ArtStarts Gallery
in Vancouver!
The ArtStarts staff, notably Juliana Bedoya and François Grenier,
did such an amazing job to artistically display the pieces. With a team of
volunteers they worked many long hours to make sure the artworks were hung with
care. The display conveys the phases of the moon and suggests a cozy bear den.
Selected drawings of the children are playfully displayed in the reading corner of the upper gallery:
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| Drawings by Isadore, Summer, Zackary, Anezka, Padma and Kingston |
Nika Collison sang a beautiful
hummingbird song:
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| From left to right: Nika Collison, fellow artist Naomi Steinberg, Kara Johancsik from BYTE, Kiki, Alison and Joanne |
Nika chose this song,
which was received from the Nuu Chah Nulth in exchange of a Haida song, “as metaphor of cultures working together in art and knowledge to
achieve something great. Additionally, bird songs left with the bird migrations
and returned when the birds do – a Haida understanding and view of time and
ties to our natural world.” Haaw’a to both Joanne and Nika for your gifts.
There
was a great turn-out; locals, children, friends and even family members of some
of the young (and older) artists showed up and were blown away by the work these young
children made.
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| Grandparents of Anezka (one of the young artists) in center, my sister to their right and Tonya Martin, publisher of Taan's Moons book, to their left. |
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| Many visitors came out to the opening |
Congratulations to all these young Haida Gwaii artists on your
first exhibit at a downtown Vancouver gallery!
The
Timescapes exhibition will be up till the end of August. I encourage everyone
to visit the ArtStarts Gallery, at 808 Richards Street, when you’re in
Vancouver next. It’s a wonderful gallery for young people and I’m sure you’ll
come away feeling inspired!
The
Taan’s Moons artpieces will return to Haida Gwaii in the fall. We are planning an exhibition to coincide
with the Taan’s Moons book launch before Christmas.
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| Alison Gear speaking, artist Sol at her feet |
I
would like to thank everyone who made the Taan’s Moons project such a huge
success, from teachers, students, volunteers, ArtStarts in Schools, Literacy
Haida Gwaii, Gwaii Trust Society, SD50 to the support team behind Taan’s Moons and of course to
Joanne Yovanovich for sharing the knowledge, and to Alison Gear who created
such a beautiful poem that inspired so many of us!
To me this whole process is
like watching a drop of rainwater fall in the ocean, merging yet creating a
ripple effect, now reaching new shores, inspiring countless others. Haaw’a for
your generosity.
And haaw'a, thank you to Siobhan Rich, for the use of her photographs.
And haaw'a, thank you to Siobhan Rich, for the use of her photographs.
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