Gifts from Our Ancestors at Open Space.   March 7 - April 12, 2014.
An exhibition of participants, mentors, and guests of the Indigenous Youth Artist Showcase. 
Photo from Opening Reception on Friday March 7, 2014

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Dr Sarah Hunt with Jesse Campbell’s Cree syllabic mural.

Dr Sarah Hunt successfully defended her PHD thesis on 
March 3, 2014. Her research aims to illuminate and change the high rates of abuse experienced by Indigenous people. She is a member of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation through her father Richard Hunt. As the curator of GIfts from Our Ancestors, Sarah Hunt addresses the need for Indigenous youth (ages 19-25) to participate, learn and grow supported by local community. 

For the past five months, youthful participants met bi-weekly with senior Indigenous artists to share interests and develop their artmaking. “By receiving a space and opportunity to exhibit,” says Sarah, “they have all expressed their unique talents. It’s been a rewarding experience.” Sarah invited Peter Morin to partner in her vision and they both approached Open Space. Peter visited the opening celebrations via Face Time from his teaching post at Brandon University. 
PictureFrom left: Sacha Ouellet, Lindsay Delaronde, Keilah Lukenbill-Williams with moccasin project "Between Needle and Thread".
Mentor Lindsay Delaronde is a professional artist with an MFA from UVic. Raised on the Kahnawake reservation in Quebec, her background is Iroquois and Mohawk. As a mentor, Lindsay’s style is to work side by side with the younger artists, who are full of fresh ideas and enthusiasm. 

“We’re all in this together,” she says. “Its been a pleasure and privilege to offer my support.” Between Needle and Thread  honours their time spent together. Their conversations are confidential and mutually nourishing, the product of women coming together in shared activities

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Keilah Lukenbill-Williams is connected to the Nuu-chah-nulth and Cowichan First Nations. She is a graduate of the Visual Arts Program at Camosun College.  





Keilah worked with mentor Lindsay Delaronde on the Ogden Point Mural Project. 
“Lindsay is a powerful woman and strong leader,” says Keilah.
 Through this project, Keilah has connected with many other young artists, and shared ideas and dialogue. “My path into the future seems clearer to me now.”
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Jesse Campbell includes Metis and Cree in his cultural background. He’s impressed by all the multi-faceted learning process of the project. Discussion, ideas and promotion were followed by physically creating and installing the artwork. “A lot of things had to come together to make it work,” he says.

His wall mural of Cree syllabics tells the flood story, common to many global communities. The process was labourious, as Jesse converted an English translation of the story into Cree. 
He used the graffiti-removing technique of buffing to smudge out certain words, making reference to the devastating impact of assimilation.

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Sacha Ouellet's cultural background includes Haida, Tsimshian, French Canadian and Scottish. Her mother took her to pow wows and ceremonial gatherings as a child.

This program has given her new tools and skills to interact with peers. The bi-weekly get-togethers encouraged her creative ideas to flow and form. “The mentors offered us a safe space to share our thoughts and feelings,” she says. 

She met Janet Rogers at the pop-up shop in December, which led to an internship as Indigenous News Anchor at CFUV radio station. Indigenous News Anchor
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Brianna Dick is from Songhees First Nation and has Kwakwaka’wakw roots from Alert Bay. 
The imagination corner invites visitors to pick-up and admire her arm-knitting, crocheting, finger-knitting and pom-poms. There are cozy places to sit and a large selection of yarn supplies if you feel creative.

On March 8 Brianna gave a workshop on her techniques at Open Space. Workshops are ongoing at this exhibition which encourages an ever-changing environment of learning and cultural exchange. Indigenous cultures pass on knowledge in an experiential way, so Open Space invites the community to learn new skills. From the project, Brianna has learned to push her creative boundaries. She is thinking about a future that includes art school. 
      “Now I realize my yarn work is art work” she says.

 PictureLeft: Doug Jarvis, Program Coordinatior at Open Space, facilitated the five-month Indigenous Youth Artist Showcase. He stands with artist Owen Parnell.
Owen Parnell is a full time student taking Visual Arts at Camosun College. 
He hopes to be a professional artist and is very thankful for the opportunity to show his work in a public gallery. His ancestry includes Metis and Cree. Owen took advantage of the architecture space available to create an enormous dream catcher called Adaptation. The square exterior of the beams symbolizes colonial logic, while the ovoid shape within refers to other viewpoints and ways of being. 

Doug Jarvis, project fascilitator, assisted over the three day installation period. “We had a lot of fun,” says Owen, “Doug helped me manoever the tall ladder on wheels while I attached the wool.” 
PictureGerry Ambers stands beside “War Canoe Paddles” by Lindsay Delaronde.


Guest Gerry Ambers is an elder actively involved at Open Space. A member of Namgis First Nations from Alert Bay, Gerry does healing energy work with survivors of the residential school system. She also volunteers with Indigenous youth at Surrounded by Cedar Child and Family Services. 

Gerry sees great value in the program’s mandate to open up public spaces and galleries to emerging artists. “This gives them a new perspective on their place in community,” she says. By working with mentors who focus on their creative gifts, their skills and confidence increase.

 PictureLeft: Mentor Ellie Dion with artist Sacha Ouellet















Ellie Dion is a Quebecois filmmaker. Her partner is from the Songhees First Nations. Through Trickster Productions, she works to empower Indigenous youth in BC. “First Nations are avidly creating their own material and need spaces to exhibit,” she says. Allies from other cultures can join forces and promote a relationship of respect. 

“Sacha has the unique experience of living in two worlds,” she says. The photographs tell her story by recording the important people and places in her life.  

Open Space is located at 510 Fort Street on the 2nd floor. 
 Hours are noon-5:00pm Tuesday - Saturday. Phone: 250.383.8833
 More info at Open Space







Web Design, Content and Photos: 
Kate Cino previewed arts events 
for 18 years at Boulevard magazine. 

She has a History in Art degree and 
Public Relations certificate from the University of Victoria. 
For ten years, Kate operated an art & framing shop.

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