Two area First Nations artists are finding connection and reconciliation through a Telus art project.
Michaela Gilbert, a member of Williams Lake First Nation, and Barbara Derrick, a member of Xeni Gwet香蕉视频直播檌n, are both artists from the Cariboo who were selected by Telus to help create art for the company.
When Telus sought out First Nations artists, both women were chosen to collaborate and began working together in June of 2022. Telus provided them the theme of 香蕉视频直播渃onnectivity,香蕉视频直播� some parameters in terms of the colour scheme and using animals, then let them create.
香蕉视频直播淢ichaela and I were so good together,香蕉视频直播� said Derrick, of working with her fellow artist.
Derrick, is an art educator and professional artist who lives in Edmonton but is originally from Quesnel. She said her work was inspired by all the wonderful things happening in the Tsilhqot香蕉视频直播檌n (Chilcotin), as her mother was Xeni Gwet香蕉视频直播檌n. She drew on her clan animal, the bear, and the connection to the land through food, creating a beautiful stylized bear holding a salmon in its mouth. She calls it Walking in Power 香蕉视频直播� Lessons from the Grandmothers.
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Gilbert, who is 2o and in her third year at the University of Victoria in the Fine Arts Program, said she drew on the idea of reconnecting to culture through the land and the use of personified animal characters in cultural storytelling. She was inspired by the traditional story of How the Raven Stole the Sun and her final design is titled Qwl茅wem or To Pick Berries. She painted two ravens picking Saskatoon berries in a birch basket.
While Derrick already had an idea of what she might do, Gilbert said she herself bounced some ideas off of Derrick to help come up with her artwork for the project.
香蕉视频直播淪he was a big support for me,香蕉视频直播� said Gilbert, of how the elder artist and educator facilitated her in her process.
Derrick said this project is especially exciting because she said it makes it feel like First Nations artists are being recognized for their work.
香蕉视频直播淥pportunities like that, we would not have ever dreamed of before,香蕉视频直播� she noted.
Gilbert said she is 香蕉视频直播渢hrilled to have my work being shared with the community, as I香蕉视频直播檓 dedicated to my artwork and I香蕉视频直播檓 proud of the completed project.香蕉视频直播�
As an artist, Gilbert said one of her goals is to 香蕉视频直播渃reate modern representation of Indigenous people to encourage the embrace of culture in tandem with individuals being in the contemporary world.香蕉视频直播�
The two artworks come together beautifully in the final piece, combining vibrant animals connected to the land through local food. Look for the mural on the Telus building on Second Avenue in Williams Lake and on the sides of Telus vehicles across the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
https://youtu.be/GG5Tg1PYrcY
https://youtu.be/p13C_9nsup0
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