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Michael Blackstock - Blue Ecology
Artist Statement — Blue Ecology
Blue Ecology is a new conceptual foundation of this exhibition. It is an independent theory I developed with Elders, rooted in Indigenous teachings, built on five traditional principles — Spirit, Balance, Harmony, Respect, and Unity. At its core, Blue Ecology reframes water not as a resource or commodity but as a living relationship, the lifeblood of our planet. It teaches that creativity, like water, is dynamic, adaptive, and always in motion. These principles guide how I approach form, transformation, and the movement of ideas across different media.
My practice begins in the teachings passed down through carving and story. Under Master Carver Walter Harris, I learned that form is a responsibility — every line carries memory, balance, and intention. From Phil Janze, I learned that tradition is not a fixed structure; it is alive, mathematical, capable of transformation while still holding its integrity. These two teachings — discipline and freedom — shape the way I work.
In Blue Ecology, I explore how those principles shift and speak through different materials. Carved salmon forms, contemporary formline, and pop‑art experimentation all become expressions of the same idea: that old knowledge can move into new forms without losing its roots. Each medium becomes a different language for the same conversation — how tradition transforms, and how transformation remains grounded in relationship.
Blue Ecology gives this movement its flow and shape. It offers a way of seeing creativity as relational, balanced, and responsive to place. Whether I’m carving yellow cedar or working in bold colour and mixed media, I’m following the same current: honour the lineage, allow transformation, and let the work flow where it needs to go.
This exhibition invites viewers to feel both the grounding and the motion — the strength of tradition and the freedom of transformation carried forward through Blue Ecology.
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Artist Bio
Michael is a Northwest Coast artist. His Gitxsan name is Ama Goodim Gyet and he is a member of the house of Geel, Fireweed clan. His work moves fluidly between traditional carving, contemporary formline, and bold pop‑inflected experimentation. Rooted in the cultural and ecological landscapes of northern British Columbia, his practice is shaped by a deep respect for lineage and the living teachings carried through wood, water, and story.
He received his foundational training under Master Carver Walter Harris, one of the most influential Gitxsan artists of the twentieth century. From Harris, Michael absorbed not only the discipline of carving but the worldview behind it: the responsibility to uphold balance, the precision of form, and the understanding that every line carries history. His work is also strongly influenced by Gitxsan artist Phil Janze, whose innovative approach to design, metalwork, and abstraction opened new pathways for contemporary Indigenous expression. Janze’s willingness to push boundaries—while remaining grounded in cultural integrity—continues to inform Michael’s own creative evolution.
Across carved salmon forms, sculptural works, and vibrant pop‑art pieces, Michael explores the dynamic space where tradition and innovation meet. His practice is guided by relational principles aligned with Blue Ecology and Natural Intelligence: water as teacher, balance as method, and creativity as a living expression of place. Whether working in yellow cedar, paint, or mixed media, he approaches each piece as a conversation between old knowledge and new possibility.
Michael’s art invites viewers to experience the continuity of Northwest Coast teachings while witnessing their transformation in the present moment. His work honours the masters who shaped him, the territories that sustain him, and the freedom of expression that keeps Indigenous art alive, adaptive, and unmistakably contemporary.
Michael is also an Independent Indigenous Scholar who founded the Blue Ecology Institute Foundation (see www.blueecology.org).
Sydney Andres Chauvin -
Along The Way
Artist Statement - Along The Way
“Along The Way” showcases my intimate, quiet moments of encountering animals near Fort St James.
My artwork displays my love of observing animals and the tender moments when wildlife acknowledges
my presence. The animals are the notion of feeling at home in a rural area, as these animals are the shy
neighbours you only see once in a while. Through mark-making and texture, I explore my relationship
with animals, weaving form-line into the work as a parallel connection to my Gitxsan identity. My
paintings include a mixture of bright, earthy, and non-local colours, to explore both environment and
spiritual connections to the land and the animals. This exhibition shares a collection of my memories,
capturing the fleeting moments I have with animals in my life.
Artist Bio
Sydney Andres Chauvin is an Indigenous artist from Vanderhoof B.C, now residing in Fort St James, BC.
She has a Fine Arts/Education degree through the University of Lethbridge, and has taken workshops
and courses taught by other artists to further her skills. Growing up in a rural community, Sydney’s love
for animals sparked at a young age, and she is constantly noticing wildlife around her. Her artwork is
inspired and rooted from her memories of animals around her, capturing the brief moments when she
has crossed the animals’ path along her way through the world. Her artwork relies on realism and
abstraction to display her careful observation and the moment’s passing nature.