Step by Step

Rain Pierre (sɬə́məxʷ)

Digital print on vinyl  
SRYC Building, Main Staircase 

Rain Pierre (sɬə́ məxʷ)’s site-responsive artwork Step by Step reminds its viewers we are all united on one land: we are together on Turtle Island, carrying one another into a new and future world. Poised at the edge of a new beginning, this new world cannot be accomplished unless we work together. As we commit to Reconciliation, we must do our best to remember where we come from and who we are. The imagery that fills Step by Step asserts that Indigenous people have always been here and are the stewards of this land. The artist describes his composition as follows: “A hand is holding the earth up to let us know that Mother Earth is here to help us grow, so long as we take good care of her. The turtle wears a cedar headband as a tribute to our culture and traditions, and the beaming star is our ancestors guiding us to a better path and a better tomorrow.”

Rain Pierre (sɬə́ məxʷ), creator of Rain Awakens, is an artist from q̓íc̓əy̓ (Katzie) First Nation. In 2016, he shifted from a career working in the field of engineering to pursue art and to follow a path more aligned with his spirit. He makes artworks in a variety of mediums and has partnered with the school districts of Surrey, Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Vancouver, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Mission and Ottawa, among others, to inspire young students.