Saturday, December 18, 2010
Come watch the Artists create their art at Ahtsik Native Art Gallery
Date: Sunday December 19, 2009
Time: 11 to 5:30pm
7133 Pacific Rim Highway
Guest Artists:
Ray Sim – Salish Carver
Dorothy Jarvis – Tsimshian Painter
Erich Glendale - Kwakwaka’ wakw carver
Ahtsik Gallery Artist/Owner: Gordon Dick - Nuu-chah-nulth Artist
Come and see artists create their art in house. Observe wood carving, painting and jewelry making. Traditional singing will also be performed by local singer Aaron Watts. Enter a draw to win a Gift Certificate for Ahtsik Native Art Gallery.
· Gordon Dick feels fortunate to be able to practice his cultural art because his ancestors held onto their identity. Gordon carves jewelry and wood. Presently, he enjoys carving large pieces and structural art for homes and buildings.
· Ray Sim is a Salish artist who has lived in Port Alberni for 40 years and has been adopted by a Nuu-chah-nulth family. He has taught art at various local schools.
· Erich started carving in 1990. He carves in yellow and red cedar. He carves rattles, sculptures, bowls, talking sticks and started carving jewelry in 2006.
· Dorothy Jarvis is a local painter who has reconnected with her Tsimshian roots. “I am deeply moved by scenes of Aboriginal life and the spirits of the great totem poles.” She continues to explore her ancestral lands through painting.
Gordon Dick, Artist/Owner has succeeded in his dream of building and owning an art gallery to promote local First Nations artists. He encourages locals and visitors to come into the gallery, see artists at work, view the art, do some holiday shopping and enjoy refreshments. Ahtsik Gallery is located at 7133 Pacific Rim Highway, Port Alberni.
Ahtsik Native Art Gallery has extended shopping hours up to Christmas from 10:30am to 6pm every day and closing at 4pm on December 24th. We are Closed Christmas day, Boxing day and New Years day. Regular Hours are 10:30 to 5pm Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun.
For more information, contact Gordon Dick at 250-723-3425 or art@gordondick.ca
Friday, October 8, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Inside Port Alberni
Read this news article in the Vancouver sun about the art scene in Port Alberni which covers Ahtsik Native Art Gallery.
Inside Port Alberni: excerpt: On the way out of town, heading west toward Tofino, look out for Gordon Dick's new Ahtsik Native Art Gallery. It carries the work of many renowned Nuu-chah-nulth artists, such as Patrick Amos and Tim Paul, as well as Gordon Dick's own work. Dick is a young but already very accomplished carver -- Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Inside+Port+Alberni/3031755/story.html#ixzz0oIuKwXg6
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Totem Pole Carved to Commemorate Residential School Survivors.
This 23 foot totem pole weighed 6200 pounds and took the carvers 55 12+ hour days to carve. The pole was commissioned by Tseshaht First Nation and raised Friday April 30th in front of where the old Alberni Residential School used to be. Gordon dick remembers tearing down the residential school building that his grandparents, uncles and aunts attended. A number of atrocities occurred to First Nations children from all over the province who had to attend by government law. The Aboriginal Healing Foundation has recently expired and was put in place to help the Residential school survivors heal from the multiple trauma’s endured though out the years they attended the residential schools. Gordon Dick believes he can carve today because of the survivors who held on to their culture despite not being able to practice traditions of First Nations culture. It is a lifetime journey of healing for the Residential school survivors and Tseshaht First Nation hopes to build a wellness center. Creating this totem pole was an effort to help turn the page from past wounds and rebuild First Nations culture.
At the top of the pole is a Thunderbird which is often placed at the top of poles because it is a powerful bird from the spirit world. There are many stories of the thunderbird and how it helped to keep balance with resources on the west coast. The middle section of the pole is the first female ancestor to honor women. There are stories in Nuu-chah-nulth culture about her witnessing the thunderbird transform into a man. The man was in a thunderbird cloak. She is holding a drum with an Art Thompson design of a male and female wolf to remember his courage in speaking out about the abuses which occurred to him at Alberni Residential school. (Please read this New Article by Quintin Winks for the Alberni Valley Times. for information on the recognition of Art Thompson.) The bottom figure is of a Sea Wolf which is a killer whale transforming into a wolf that symbolizes family and protection. To view more photos of the pole go to the Ahtsik Native Art Gallery Facebook page.
The Head carver of this pole commissioned by Tseshaht First Nation is Gordon Dick,owner of Ahtsik Native Art Gallery. He first worked under Tim Paul to carve the Totem Poles at the Tseshaht Tempo Gas Station On Pacific Rim Highway, Tim Paul was on hand to provide guidance to Gordon for this pole. Gordon is from the Tseshaht First Nation of the Nuu-chah-nulth people.
Erich Glendale is a Kwakwaka’wkw carver and lives on the Tseshaht reserve. Erich has carved wood for many years and this is the first time he worked on a wood piece this scale.
Alex Spence came in the help during the last week to carve and paint the pole. He is from the Haida Nation.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tseshaht Land Marker
This totem represents the first Tseshaht man with a whalebone war club. I carved it out of Red cedar. I was commissioned by Tseshaht First Nation to carve this totem. It will be erected in Barkly sound on Benson Island this year. It was an honor to carve this land marker of the Tseshaht territory.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Ancestral Translation: Through a Painters Palette
Artists Reception Friday March 5, 2010 7pm
RSVP Tickets art@gordondick.ca 250-723-3425
Ahtsik Native Art Gallery is hosting a Group Art Show of current First Nations Painter’s. The show is entitled, Ancestral Translation: Through a Painters’ Palette. The Theme focuses on current issues that we need to deliver to our children and children’s children using teachings from our ancestors and conveying the message in a format the next generation with identify with. Show includes seasoned as well as rising First Nations Artists. Some of the artists participating are; Andrew Dexel En-paa-uk, Patrick Amos, Candace Campo, Dorothy Jarvis, and painted drums by Patricia Soop. A variety of painting styles are represented from traditional realism to traditional contemporary.
RSVP Tickets art@gordondick.ca 250-723-3425
Ahtsik Native Art Gallery is hosting a Group Art Show of current First Nations Painter’s. The show is entitled, Ancestral Translation: Through a Painters’ Palette. The Theme focuses on current issues that we need to deliver to our children and children’s children using teachings from our ancestors and conveying the message in a format the next generation with identify with. Show includes seasoned as well as rising First Nations Artists. Some of the artists participating are; Andrew Dexel En-paa-uk, Patrick Amos, Candace Campo, Dorothy Jarvis, and painted drums by Patricia Soop. A variety of painting styles are represented from traditional realism to traditional contemporary.
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