Artist Spotlight: Kelvin Thompson

Kelvin Thompson, From Left: Hummingbird, Ravens and Sun, Owl

Ojibwa/Saulteaux artist Kelvin Thompson has been engraving jewellery for over thirty-five years, since 1978. He is originally from Manitoba, Canada, along with his brother Allen Thompson, and now resides in Vancouver, BC. Kelvin first studied engraving techniques under Haisla artist Barry Wilson, in 1979, and also worked with Barry's brother, Derek Wilson, at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre in Vancouver. During the 1980s, Kelvin assisted Henry Robertson in carving panels and poles that are now displayed outside outside of the Aboriginal Friendship Centre. He was adopted into the Haisla family by Barry and Derek Wilson and Henry Robertson.

Kelvin's distinctive style is very detailed and ornate. His creativity is evident in the unconventional, playful designs he has completed in his work including Sea Lion, Mosquito, Dragonfly, Crab, and Bumblebee. Kelvin has consistently experiemented with different techniques such as oxidization, overlay and cut-outs. His most recent piece in the gallery is a spectacular Ravens and Sun bracelet in which the design has been cut out in sterling silver and overlayed onto a separate piece of silver. The entire bracelet was then oxidized and polished, exposing the darker areas. The piece measures 1 7/8" x 6" and is available for $2,800.00 CAD.

Barnacles to Butterflies: Unusual Imagery in NWC Silver Jewellery

Image: Kelvin Thompson, sterling silver + 14k yellow gold bracelet, Crabs, 1 3/8" x 6", $2,400.00

The online preview for Barnacles to Butterflies is now available on our website.

We are very excited to show our audience the diverse range of unusual designs that Northwest Coast artists have applied to sterling silver jewellery. While much of the imagery within silver jewellery created by British Columbia's First Nations engravers is based on family crest symbols, artists from the pacific Northwest have a long history of using their surroundings as inspiration. From Kelvin Thompson's spectacular Crabs bracelet to Clint Work's playful  Sea Urchin earrings to Dean Hunt's abstract Mushroom pendant, these Northwest Coast artists have created a selection of imaginative pieces that are really quite unusual.

Featured artists include Harold Alfred (Kwakwaka'wakw), Gwaai Edenshaw (Haida), Dean Hunt (Heiltsuk), Sharifah Marsden (Ojibwa), Carrie Matilpi (Kwakwaka'wakw/Carrier/Cree), Jeff Pat (Coast Salish), Justin Rivard (Cree), Kelvin Thompson (Ojibwa/Saulteaux/Haisla), Sonia Triebwasser (Kwakwaka'wakw), Barry Wilson (Haisla), Derek Wilson (Haisla), Dan Wallace (Kwakwaka'wakw/Haida) and Clinton Work (Kwakwaka'wakw).

Barnacles to Butterflies will be on display at the gallery from September 22nd - October 13th, 2012. We welcome you to join us at our opening reception on Saturday, September 22nd from 3-5pm.

Derek Wilson (1950-2011)

We regret to inform you that well-known Haisla jeweller, Derek Wilson passed away on September 6, 2011. Derek was a great artist and a knowledgeable teacher. He began carving with his brother, Barry Wilson, in the late 1950's, finishing pieces that their uncle Henry Robertson used to throw away. It was in 1976 that Derek was influenced by Russell Smith and David Gladstone to engrave silver and gold. His designs were based on his family history from the Tsimshian and Haisla Nations.

Derek's many accomplishments included exhibits at MOA, Vancouver Centennial Museum and a museum collection in England in 1967. He designed the BC Explorer Logo and one of his gold rings was given to the Queen of England in 1981 by a visiting native group to the UK. From 2004-2006 he helped with the recreation of the nineteenth-century G'psgolox pole made for Sweden and was also featured in the NFB documentary: Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole.

Derek was an inspiring teacher and helped many young artists establish their careers including Kelvin Thompson, Ivan Thomas and Dan Wallace. In 2008, he helped teach and advise the students of the Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts Program.

Derek was a close friend of the gallery from the very beginning in 1986, and will always be remembered. The Memorial will be held on Friday, September 9th from 6pm-9pm at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, 1607 East Hastings Street.