This year’s Cultural Crawl will feature a special collection of exhibitions from Indigenous artists, adding a meaningful and enriching component to the festival. Each artist has a unique style and uses their creativity to express their story and their journey of self-expression and reclamation of the Indigenous identity.
Over the course of the crawl, visitors will have the chance to explore an array of artwork, including painting, pottery, jewellery, photography, and more. The festival will take place at multiple locations throughout New Westminster, offering a weekend of creativity, community, and cultural connection.
Participating Indigenous Artists and Exhibitions:
- James Groening – Blue Sky
Crawl Location – The Gallery at Queens’ Park
Blue Sky is a Cree Saulteaux artist painting in the Woodlands School of Art. As a sixties scoop person, James is finding his way home through the cultural art of his people. Led by artistic intuition and native legends, Blue Sky works with the physical nuances and spirit of each canvas and elk skin to begin his creation process. His artwork documents his journey of healing and growth, as he attempts to revitalize his cultural identity through art-making and teaching. Blue Sky is the Indigenous Curator with Arts New West.
Explore Blue Sky’s studio during the New West Cultural Crawl
@blueskyjwg
bluesky.art@hotmail.com
2. Claire Shannon-Akiwenzie
Crawl Location – The Gallery at Queens’ Park
Claire Shannon-Akiwenzie (Anishinaabe/Irish) is a multidisciplinary artist, educator and hand drummer/singer residing on unceded Musqueam, Tsleil Waututh and Squamish territory in Vancouver, B.C. She is a proud member of the Chippewas of Nawash unceded First Nation in Neyaashiiningmiing, Ontario. Claire works predominantly in digital art and beadwork and is continuously learning to extend her practice through language, story, song, dance, and creating with traditional materials and technology.
Claire is an Arts New West Development Fund recipient.
Instagram: @zaagiidiwin_
www.zbeadwork.com
3. Keisha Janvier at KnderBooks
Crawl Location – Kinder Books at River Market
Kiesha Janvier, a self-taught artist originally hailing from Ontario, now calls Vancouver, British Columbia her home. Her artistic journey is deeply rooted in her personal history and cultural exploration. The inspiration for her work is profoundly influenced by her late father, who was also an artist. This connection fuels her creative process as she seeks to honor his legacy and explore her own artistic expression.
Currently, Kiesha is immersing herself in her Indigenous heritage, striving to reconnect with her cultural roots. This reconnection is more than a personal journey; it is a deliberate effort to infuse her artwork with elements of her cultural background, aiming to preserve and celebrate the traditions and stories of her ancestors. She is excited to incorporate this newfound knowledge into her future projects, ensuring that her art contributes to keeping her culture vibrant and alive.
In her creative practice, Kiesha employs a diverse range of mediums, including acrylic paints, mixed media, and digital software. This eclectic approach allows her to experiment with various techniques and styles, resulting in a rich and dynamic body of work. Her art has been showcased at a variety of venues, including small pop-up galleries and music festivals, where she has had the opportunity to share her unique vision with a broader audience.
Kiesha Janvier’s work is characterized by a continual exploration of contemporary and eclectic art forms. She pushes the boundaries of conventional artistic practices, inviting viewers into an imaginative and immersive visual experience. Her innovative approach and dedication to her craft position her as a distinctive voice in the art world, committed to both artistic excellence and cultural preservation.
Instagram: @kjanvierart
Email: anne@kinderbooks.ca / kieshajanvier@hotmail.com
4. Susan L Greig
Crawl Location – Braid Studios
Susan L. Greig is an award-winning Metis artist who captures the energy of nature in her contemporary landscape paintings. Her work is represented by Van Dop Galleries in New Westminster and by Braid St Studios in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada. You will also find her work in collections throughout Canada, USA, Mexico and Europe. She is very proud that her work is held in several healthcare institutions including BC Children’s Hospital.
Susan loves to paint life along the Fraser River in British Columbia as well as landscapes that capture the beauty of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Due to success and demand she is now focusing almost exclusively on Commission work. “Working with clients, to create a painting that has meaning for them, be it a special location or to tell a story important to them, allows me to translate “snapshots” of time and life. It is my hope in every piece I create that the energetic connection between nature, myself and the person who ultimately receives it, comes through. It makes my work exciting and very meaningful for everyone.”
Susan L. Greig
Instagram: @susanlgreigart
Facebook: @susanlgreigart
Email: susanlgreigart@gmail.co
5. Amelia Douglas Gallery
Crawl Location: Douglas College
kʷәcstәxʷ
Join us in bearing witness to the creativity, ingenuity, and excellence of 11 inspiring Indigenous artists.
We welcome you to the Amelia Douglas Gallery on Saturday, October 5th to enjoy this exhibit of diverse artistic mediums, learn more about the inspiration behind each unique piece in the collection, and participate in a free activity suitable for all ages.
kʷәcstәxʷ is an ongoing exhibition and will be open September 17 – November 1, 2024. Visit douglascollege.ca/artsevents for gallery hours and information. Admission is always free.
Instagram: @douglas_arts_events
Facebook: @DouglasArts
www.douglascollege.ca
www.douglascollege.ca
6. Anvil Centre – Museums and Archives
Downstream Where the Waters Mix”
Crawl Location- Anvil Centre
Downstream Where the Waters Mix” a season of “Honouring Our Grandmother’s Healing Journey”, is a multi-year movement. Curated by lead visionary artist, Nadine Spence, the project connects artists and Indigenous communities across B.C. through culture, arts and ceremony to restore relationships between generations with the water, lands and wild salmon. Featuring bentwood chests and boxes, woven blankets, carving, art, and regalia, this exhibition focuses on personal, family, and community healing journeys in a safe and respectful space that does not oppress the truth and realities of Indigenous Peoples of the past or in the present day.
www.newwestcity.ca/services/
arts-and-heritage/museums-and-archives#programs
@nwmuseumarchive
museum@newwestcity.ca
