British Columbia Fine Arts PLOs Addressed in this Resource:
- “Using a variety of image sources (e.g. … stories). (BC Ministry of Education, p. 9).”
- “Exploring, describing, and creating images using –the image development strategies of simplification and abstraction –visual elements of colour, line, shape, and texture –the principle of symmetrical balance (BC Ministry of Education, p. 9).”
Extra Curriculum Links:
- Art and Social Responsibility:
Lyle Wilson is committed to reusing materials other’s would throw out. A Model Canoe carved and painted by Lyle was started by another artist, and was going to be discarded because of a crack in the wood, but Lyle salvaged it using the traditional technique of butterfly patches. Bahgwanah: The Origins, also uses this technique (Downloadable at the top of this page). Talk about ways we can reuse and recycle our art materials.
Begin by saying, “if you wanted to make a canoe, or anything really, what would you need to do it? (Let students answer, eventually someone will probably say a measuring tape, ruler, etc. If they don’t, lead them to the answer with a question like “What about the size? How would you make sure the finished product was the right size and all the different parts fit together?”) Right, a measuring tool! So inches, feet, meters and centimeters are all European measurements, so how do you think a canoe maker would have done it before the Europeans came? They did it using what they had, and the easiest available thing we have is? (see if anyone says it, if not, finish your sentence with) Our bodies! So craftsmen would use their hands, arms and fingers to measure. Traditionally, the rule-of-thumb was that the sides of a cedar canoe should be two finger-widths thick and the bottom should be three.” Measure classroom item’s length using your hand. Measure its width using your fingers.
Look at “Raven and the Fisherman.” How many kinds of animals can you see in the painting? Make a list. All these animals live on the Pacific Coast. What do they need to survive? How does the coast provide that? What can we do to keep our Coast clean and healthy for all these animals?
Works Cited:
This resource was created for the Bill Reid Centre by Desiree Danielson with the help of Centre Manager Bryan Myles, exhibition coordinator Kwiaawah Jones, and UBC Faculty Advisor Alison Diesvelt. Information for this resource was taken from the following works:
British Columbia, Ministry of Education (2010). Visual Arts, Kindergarten to Grade 7. Victoria, B.C., Ministry of Education, Province of British Columbia.
Goldi Productions Ltd (2007). Northwest Coastal People: Social Structure/Leadership. Canada’s First People. Retrieved from http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_nwc6.html
Haisla Nation (2013). Haisla Nation: United by Our Hisory, Tradition, and People, Who are the Haisla? Retrieved from http://haisla.ca/community/who-are-the-haisla/
Holm, B. (1978). Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form. Vancouver: J.J. Douglas.
Kew, Michael (2012). Aboriginal People: Northwest Coast. In The Canadian Encyclopedia online. Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/native-people-northwest-coast
Krutak, Lars (2006). Crest Tattoos of the Tlingit and Haida of the Northwest Coast. Vanishing Tattoo. Retrieved from http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/crest_tattoos_tlingit_haida.htm
McLennan, B., & Duffek, K. (2007). The Transforming Image: Painted Arts of Northwest Coast First Nations. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Stewart, H. (2009). Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast. Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre.
Thorne, Rachel (2013). Tour of “Paint: The Painted Works of Lyle Wilson,” Created for the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art.
University of Calgary (2000). Canada’s First Nations: Native Civilizations, Northwest Coast. Retrieved from http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/firstnations/coast.html
Wilson, L., Duffek, K., Wyatt, G., Duncan, B., & Maple Ridge Art Gallery. (2012). Paint: The Painted Works of Lyle Wilson. Maple Ridge, B.C: Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Arts Council.