Yelp Event at Lattimer Gallery

On April 27th of 2015, Lattimer Gallery hosted a Yelp event after hours. Between 6pm and 8pm, Vancouver Yelpers were invited to browse our beautiful art collection while enjoying Nk'Mip 2012 Merlot and charcuterie provided by Quince Catering. 

Established in Osoyoos in 2002, Nk'Mip (in-KA-meep) is North America’s first Aboriginal winery. The winery is a partnership between the Osoyoos Native Band and Constellation Brands Canada. The winery’s mandate is to produce award winning wines made from grapes grown on indigenous native soils. The Inkameep vineyard planted in 1968, produces some of the most prized grapes and further produces some of the most prized wines in the Okanagan Valley.

This invite-only Yelp event was run in celebration of and conjunction with Lattimer Gallery's current jewellery exhibition, Sharifah Marsden - Miigwetch. Lattimer Gallery has been carrying the jewellery and paintings of Sharifah Marsden for six years. 

Sharifah is an Anishinaabe artist from the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation in Ontario who has been living in Vancouver for the past fifteen years, and she strives to fuse her cultural roots with Northwest Coast forms. As her first solo show, Sharifah Marsden - Miigwetch features jewellery pieces created over the past two years during the artist’s studies at the Vancouver Metal Arts School. The word 'miigwetch' means 'thank you' in the Ojibwe language. Under the instruction of European goldsmith Gerold Mueller, Sharifah has learned hollow form jewellery design and stone-setting, processes she has added to her existing arsenal of hand-engraving techniques.

Thank you to all who came out to our event. And thank you to Quince and Nk'Mip for contributing and making this such a successful night!

From the Depths: Jewellery Inspired by the Sea

In 2012, Lattimer Gallery held a jewellery exhibition titled Barnacles to Butterflies: Unusual Silver Jewellery which featured over twenty pieces depicting atypical animal symbols found within Northwest Coast Native art. Last year, we organized a show titled Silver Linings: Jewellery from the Open Sky which provided artists with the opportunity to create works based on a broad theme. From copper storm cloud earrings to an intergalactic silver cuff bracelet, artists came up with some astounding concepts and artwork, making the show a hit. We have organized another themed jewellery show for 2014, titled From the Depths: Jewellery Inspired by the Sea. 

Many traditional family crests found within First Nations communities in the Pacific Northwest have their roots in the ocean. Figures such as the orca, seal, and salmon are often represented in Northwest Coast art, but we have requested artists to delve deeper into the symbolism found within their cultures. We have asked them to be completely open with their creativity, and they have delivered. Featuring the work of Shawn Edenshaw (Haida), Clinton Work (Kwakwaka’wakw), Corrine Hunt (Kwakwaka’wakw/Tlingit), Marcel Russ (Haida), Kelvin Thompson (Ojibwa/Salteaux/Haisla), SoniaTriebwasser (Kwakwaka’wakw), and Hollie Bartlett (Haisla), this year’s exhibition demonstrates how vibrant and innovative jewellery-making is in this market and in this part of the world.  

From the Depths will run from September 20th to October 11th, 2014. An online preview of the pieces will be available starting September 15th. Please join us for our opening reception on Saturday, September 20th, between 4pm-7pm.

David Neel Jewellery

Lattimer Gallery is pleased to be carrying jewellery by popular Kwakwaka'wakw artist David Neel. David recently brought us a diverse selection of rings, pendants, earrings, and cuff bracelets. Ranging in price from $250.00 CAD to $900.00 CAD, these pieces demonstrate David's range of techniques and classic Kwakwaka'wakw design sense. Here are a few of the new pieces we have available:

14k White Gold Ring with Yellow Gold Rails - 5/16" Wide, Size 7 - $1,100.00 CAD - Eagle Design

14k Yellow Gold Earrings with Rubies - 3/4" x 3/8" - $550.00 CAD - Bear Design

Sterling Silver Link Bracelet with 14k Overlay - 3/8" x 8 1/4" - $800.00 CAD - Eagle Design

14k White Gold Pendant with Diamond - 1 3/4" x 7/8" - $900.00 CAD - Bear Design

David's crests are Thunderbird and Killerwhale. He comes from a family that is rich in history and artistic skill. His father is Dave Neel Sr, his great uncle is acclaimed artist Mungo Martin, his great-great-great grandfather is Charlie James, and his grandmother is artist Ellen Neel. His widely exhibited work includes: jewellery, masks, drums, poles, original paintings, limited edition prints, glass etching, regalia, and photos (appearing in several magazines). David's formal training in Fine Arts was at the University of Kansas and at Mount Royal College, Alberta. Following a career as a professional photographer in Texas, David returned to Canada in the early 1990s and conceived two important projects: one documenting works and images of First Nations elders, and the other promoting the revival of the Northwest Coast great dugout canoe. David's talents are diverse, and he is dedicated to promoting and preserving his Kwakwaka'wakw heritage.

Making a Northwest Coast Native Bracelet

Take a look at the above photo. This is a Northwest Coast Native cuff bracelet, comprised of 14k yellow gold overlaid atop sterling silver. Many cuffs like this can be seen in galleries and museums along the West Coast, but they are presented to the public as perfect and polished works of art. Few people truly understand all of the labour and precision involved with producing a high quality hand-engraved piece of jewellery. Lattimer Gallery recently used the commission of the above cuff bracelet by Ojibway/Haisla artist Kelvin Thompson as an opportunity to document and share the way in which such a piece is created.

First, a design is sketched by the artist. This sketch is then carbon transferred to the metal. After the basic outline of the design has been transferred to the silver or gold, the artist uses gravers to incise these lines. 

Second, the design needs to be fleshed out and given dimension. Texture and depth are created through the process of engraving with chisels and gouges. In addition to providing the piece with dimension through the removing of metal, Northwest Coast Native artists often indicate negative space through the use of crosshatching. This criss-crossing pattern helps the primary figures in the design stand out.

Third, cuff bracelets are often shaped, polished, and then buffed before they are brought to the marketplace. Some of the West Coast's more experienced artists incorporate overlay and cut-outs before shaping and finishing their works. For the bracelet depicted here, Kelvin has cut-out and filed the negative space, instead of crosshatching it. These cut-outs are made into the 14k yellow gold.

Fourth, the edges are cleaned up and the top layer is flipped onto the bottom layer when an overlay bracelet is being made. The top layer is then painstakingly soldered to the base layer.

Fifth, excess metal from the overlay process is trimmed and final embellishments are applied. You can see here that Kelvin has engraved extra lines in the head and wings of the Eagle, and he has started to meticulously decorate the border of the bracelet with a single-hatch pattern.

Finally, the cuff is shaped and finished. Most standard cuffs and overlay bracelets are buffed and polished, but Kelvin has yet again taken this piece one extra step by chemically oxidizing the base silver layer. Oxidization, often achieved through the use of liver of sulphur, turns silver black, and all raised areas are polished. This results in recessed areas remaining dark, which emphasizes the depth of the piece and helps the design stand out.

Lattimer Gallery prides itself on working with customers to complete custom commissions. We work with a wide range of artists, who offer a wide range of skills, and we are always happy to facilitate unique orders. Contact us via phone or email to make any inquiries you might have.

Ellen Neel Show at Lattimer Gallery

Kwakwaka’wakw artist Ellen Neel, born in 1916, is well known in the Northwest Coast Native art market for a number of reasons. She was the granddaughter of Charlie James and the niece of Mungo Martin, both acclaimed artists and pole carvers. She was also the first woman to professionally carve totem poles in British Columbia, based out of her own workshop called Totem Arts Studio in Stanley Park. In addition to creating poles and masks for the tourist market, Ellen also completed many commercial commissions that both promoted Northwest Coast culture and elevated her status within the fine art market. One of these large projects took place in 1955 and involved Ellen creating five large poles for a Woodward’s Department Store in Edmonton. 

Ellen Neel Sun Mask - $3,500.00 CAD

Lattimer Gallery is proud to present a collection of rare works by the late Ellen Neel. Comprised of classic masks and exquisite model poles, this small show demonstrates Ellen’s range of skills and idiosyncratic style. A couple of the standout pieces include a large Sun mask from 1962 measuring 19 ½” x 23 ½” x 3 ½” and available for $2,400.00 CAD, and a miniature pole that is still in its original packaging, including the documentation that Ellen produced to accompany it.

Ellen Neel Mini Pole in Packaging - $200.00 CAD

This is an opportunity to own a piece of Vancouver history and to acquire a work by one of Canada’s most celebrated female artists. The show runs from April 5th – April 19th and Lattimer Gallery will be hosting an opening reception on April 5th between 2pm and 5pm. Please drop by to enjoy some refreshments and to view the works by this trailblazing First Nations artist.