Art Thompson Biography

Art Thompson was born in 1948 in the village of Whyac on the southern end of Nitinat Lake. He belongs to the Ditidaht Band of the Nuu-chah-nulth people. Art was fortunate to be immersed in the cultural life of his people from an early age, when he was initiated into the Tlukwalla society. As a small boy he showed great interest in artistic expression. This was encouraged by his paternal grandfather, from whom he learned the history, songs and dances of his people.

Art graduated from a residential school in 1964, ending nine years of abuse. In recent years he has become a powerful spokesman in pursuit of justice for others who have suffered similar experiences.

From 1970 -1972 Art studied fine arts at Camosun College in Victoria. Subsequently he enrolled at the Emily Carr Institute in Vancouver, working in both two and three dimensional forms. It was here that Art began printmaking and began to create the striking silkscreens for which he is now so renowned.

Well-versed in many of the artistic styles of the coast, Art has developed his own innovative and distinctive interpretation of Nuu-chah-nulth design. This collection spans the years from 1974-1997. Art has created a number of large dance screens which have in turn become serigraphs. Thunderbird and Whale is an example of this adaptation. The Octopus is a favourite subject; it is represented in Tee-Thloop, brilliantly coloured and flanked by striking geometric shapes representing rocks and the ocean above. Many of his print images are drawn from drum heads. Our Beginnings was created as the logo for the 1997 North American Indigenous Games. It depicts Raven, the Creator, speaking of a new beginning for all indigenous people.

Art Thompson's work can be found in many public collections including the Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec, the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, The Canadian High Commission in Singapore, and Stanford University in the United States.

Don Yeomans Biography

Don Yeomans was born in Prince Rupert in 1958. His father is Haida, his mother Métis. He began learning carving from his aunt, renowned Haida artist Freda Diesing, at age twelve. In 1976 he travelled to Vancouver to study in the Fine Arts program at Langara College where he met Bud Mintz, an instructor at the college, who encouraged him to make art his career.

In 1978 Don participated in the carving of four Haida interior house-posts for Old Masset, supervised by Robert Davidson, his childhood idol. Robert taught him much about wood and design. He was also fortunate to study jewellery making with Phil Janze and Gerry Marks, living with the Janze family from 1980-1982. Following this, Don taught basic design and carving in the public school system before moving to Vancouver in 1986 to work on a totem pole commission with Bill Reid.

Don Yeomans has produced over forty silkscreen prints since 1970, comprising some of the most innovative graphics on the coast. The works represented in this exhibition show a great range of those designs. Some are classic Haida designs like Raven With Sun (featured on the cover of Hilary Stewart's Looking At Indian Art of the Northwest Coast); some use complex designs from his Celtic heritage, like Raven's Roots; and some are graceful, monochromatic motifs, like The Runner. Towards the end of the 1970s, Don began to develop a unique personal style using negative formlines. Fine examples of this style are Gunarh and the Whale and My Father's Victory. Don is also renowned for his work in gold, silver, and wood.

Some notable public collections that house Don's work include the Royal British Columbia Museum, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology, and the Seattle Art Museum.