October 13, 2008

Tony Charlie

Tony Charlie, a member of the Ahousaht First Nations, recently made an incredibly unique sterling silver pendant, Wolf design. This pendant was carved and then constructed as a miniature panel mask. Panel masks were created out of plywood with a ring in the centre to be worn on the top of the head like a headdress. These headdresses or panel masks were almost exclusively made by the Nuu-chah-nulth, people from the west coast of Vancouver Island. To the left is an image of Tony's pendant, as well as Nuu-chah-nulth artist Ron Hamilton holding one of these masks.We at Lattimer Gallery were first introduced to Tony Charlie through the NEC Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts program and it’s instructor Dan Wallace. We were pleased to host the graduation exhibition for the Northwest Cast Jewellery Arts program here at the gallery and create the accompanying publication. Since Tony’s graduation form NEC, he has received a Canada Council Grant for 'Aboriginal Traditional Visual Art'. Also this September, Tony began working towards his BFA at Vancouver’s Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

1 comment: