S N O W B I
R D S
R V T R A V E L E R S
Continued from page 39 62 Haida, Kwakwaka´wakw or Kwakiutl,
Tlingit, Tahltan, Nisga’a, Gitskan, Haisla, Nuxalk, Heiltsuk, Oweekeno, Nuu-Chah- Nulth and Makah.
There are a few things to remember when buying or collecting Pacific Northwest Coast First Nations or Native Art from British Columbia:
• If you are interested in a piece of authentic and original native art or jewellery, make sure the art work is signed in original and that you know the name of the artist and his local tribal affiliation. If it is an older piece of art, it is possible that it is not signed but still authentic. In the older days, the artists didn’t sign their work since the artwork itself was formerly interpreted as the signature of the artist. • We always recommend that you should feel touched by the beauty, craftsmanship or “energy” that the artwork represents. • Look at the details of the carvings, the clean lines, the colours and the proportions of the piece. Ask the gallery about the artist, the materials used, the symbol, the myth or story that is
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represented, and where the piece was made. If you’re buying from a reputable gallery, feel free to ask for a certificate of authenticity if it is appropriate. Usually they will be happy to send you one if they don’t have one on file. • If you would like to start collecting or investing in Native art, we often recommend to start by reading about relevant Native cultures, traditions, the potlatch, formline design techniques and aesthetics, and then delve into the stories, myths, symbols and dances of the cultures you are collecting. This will provide a basis for understanding the different types of masks, carvings, symbols and mediums, how they were used, and what they represent. • Start out by concentrating on specific Nations and cultures and their appropriate master carvers. A few very collectible Pacific Northwest Coast Native Artists are Mungo Martin, Charles Edenshaw, Tony Hunt, Bill Reid, Robert Davidson, Ron and Marcel Russ, Gordon Cross, Roy Henry Vickers and many more.
Doing some research on the artwork you’ve collected will enrich your experience and provide excellent conversation pieces to share with friends and family. Also, take the time to actually experience and connect to the culture you are collecting by visiting a cultural or traditional gathering, a museum or art gallery.
However you choose to enjoy the Pacific Northwest Coast Native Culture and its many art forms, investing in a piece of art or jewellery is a sound investment.
Walter Stolting, President Spirits of the West Coast Native Art Gallery
www.spiritsofthewestcoast.com
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