 Susan Point
Coast Salish
Susan A. Point (b. 1952) is a Coast Salish native artist. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Susan has immersed herself in the study of traditional Coast Salish art, and emerged with a language of design both authentic yet vibrantly contemporary. As well as practicing traditional motifs, Susan also expresses her own personal style. Like many native artists, she uses the form and meaning found in traditional art to create innovative work in a wide range of mediums. Susan initially began producing fine art in precious metals, serigraphs and acrylic paintings; however, she is now producing large scale public art in mediums which include glass, wood, stainless steel, and concrete. Many of Susan's work can presently be found in private and corporate collections in over 20 countries around the world.
From the artist
Coast Salish art is relatively unknown to most people today as it was an almost lost art form after European contact -- the reason being is that Salish lands were the first to be settled by the Europeans which adversely affected my people traditional life-style.
Today much of the native art associated with the Pacific Northwest coast is from principle tribes of northern British Columbia. Because of this, over the years, I spent a great deal of my time trying to revive traditional Coast Salish art, in an attempt to educate the public to the fact that there was, and still is, another art form indigenous to the Central Pacific Northwest Coast.
Although most of my earlier work is very traditional, today I am experimenting with contemporary mediums and themes, however I still incorporate my ancestral design elements into my work to keep it uniquely Salish. Sometimes I address issues of gender conditioning as well as social and economic conditions.
In creating my art, I feel a need to continually express my cultural background and beliefs yet at the same time, my work continues to evolve with changes within and outside of my community.
Susan Point
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
1985 The Northwest Coast Native Print, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, B.C.
1986 New Visions - Serigraphs by Susan A. Point, U.B.C. Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, B.C. (Solo Travelling Exhibit)
1986 Salish Images - Tribute to Salish Art, U.B.C. Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, B.C.
1988 In the Shadow of the Sun, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Ontario (Travelling Exhibit)
1989 Susan A. Point, Joe David, Lawrence Paul, Indianische Kunstler der Westkuste Kanadas, Volkerkundemuseum der Universitat Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
1989 Beyond Revival, Emily Carr College of Art, Charles Scott Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
1990 From Periphery to Center, Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario
1990 Salish Point, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Ontario (Solo Exhibit)
1992 Here Today, Open Space Gallery, Victoria, B.C.
1992 Museu Da Gravura Cidade De Curitiba, Curitiba, Parana, Brasil
1993 Mythological Creatures of the Northwest, Stonington Gallery,Seattle, Washington
1994 Bit Im Presseclub, Zeitgenossische Kunst der Indianer der Nordwestkuste Kanada, Bonn, Germany
1994 Exhibition of Northwest Coast Indian Art, Nordamerican Indian Museum, Zurich, Switzerland
1995 The 6th Native American Fine Arts Invitational, The Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
1995 Expressions of Spirit: Contemporary American Indian Art, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1996 Topographies: Aspects of Recent B.C. Art, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
1996 Written in the Earth, U.B.C. Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, B.C.
1997 River Deep - Mountain High, St. Fergus Gallery, Wick, Scotland (Travelling Exhibit)
1999 Susan A. Point Exhibition, Arctic Raven Gallery, Friday Harbour, Washington
1999 Vision Keepers, Alcheringa Gallery, Victoria, B.C.
1999 Susan Point, Motherland Gallery, Fukuoka, Japan (Solo Exhibit)
2000 New Art of the West 7, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis, Indiana
2000 Susan Point - Coast Salish Artist, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, 8 Water Street, Vancouver, B.C. (Solo Exhibit)
2001 Long Time, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2002 Fusing Traditions, Museum of Craft and Folk Art, San Francisco, California (Travelling Exhibit)
2003 Kiwa: Pacific Connections, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver B.C.
2004 Clearly Tradition: Glass in American Indian Art, The Glass Gallery, Bethesda, Maryland
2005 Awakenings; A Gathering of Contemporary Coast Salish Artists, The Stonington Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2006 Manawa - Pacific Heartbeat, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2006 Past to Present, Equniox Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2006 First Nations: Myths and Realities, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2006 Peripheral Visions, Arctic Raven Gallery, Friday Harbour (Solo Exhibit)
AWARDS
April 7, 2000: Awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts by the University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C.
May 25, 2000: Awarded YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in the Arts and Culture Category
April 4, 2004: Awarded National Aboriginal Achievement Award for achievement in Visual Arts by the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation
October 2006: Awarded the Order of Canada
APPOINTMENTS
January 1985 - December 1994: Elected Council Member for the Musqueam First Nation, Vancouver, B.C.
June 10, 1992 - July 31, 1998: Appointed to the Board of Directors for the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, B.C.
May 1 - May 14, 2001: Delegation member (visual artist) of State Visit of the Governor General of Canada to Argentina and Chile
March 2004: Appointed to The Royal Canadian Academy of Art
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![Susan Point - Connections [print collection]](images/gallery/spoint-70-4760.jpg)
