2016... The Year Flew By!

Yes, the year flew by!

We settled into our new offices and enjoyed the larger spaces!

In August we celebrated 55 years of creating exhibits that tell unique and memorable stories as Jean Jacques Andre opened his studio on Government Street in 1961!

The year started as we embarked on new journeys with Jones and Jones Architects out of Seattle in creating the Concept Design for a new Cultural Center for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and in creating an exhibit upgrade plan for the Yakama Nation.




We enjoyed working with our friends from Grand Ronde and helping them create concepts for their new exhibit space within a repurposed school building.  Workshops were inspirational and moving.

This year we've also had past clients come to us to enhance and update their exhibits. What a treasure it has been to look back and remember what we created together all those years ago.  What a privilege it is to look forward and help them revision their story and exhibits for the next generations.  Our friends at the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways and the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute are keen to increase their relevancy to the changing attitudes of our times.

Upgrades should build on the exhibit strengths and enhance and update the storyline to incorporate more current issues, change of emphasis or point of view, using appropriate technologies.
Media and lighting upgrades are always top of the list as we assist clients (past and present) with museum conservation best practices and far more maintenance friendly methodologies.

Closer to home we have had the pleasure to help develop a master exhibition plan for the Qualicum Beach Museum and Archives and was able to develop further the Palaeontology Exhibit.  A real enjoyment to work with Wendy and Graham and help tell Graham's story as a local Qualicum Character and mover and shaker.

Relevant and remarkable has been working along side the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache through Fort Apache's Nohwike' Bagowa Museum to help develop their new Nest'an Exhibit teaching about Apache Health and Food.  Watch for its development in the new year!

Passionate for her community and the stories she and her team present, Kathryn Gagnon and the Cowichan Valley Museum and Archives are an example for small local history museums.  It has been an inspiration to work with Kathryn to help develop her storyline and a plan for the renewal and upgrade of her exhibits. We look forward to partner with her in early 2017 as our internship program assists in making part of her vision come to life.  Keep an eye on this little jewel!

As well as having the privilege of working on such exciting projects we have met new green goals with the majority of our team either biking or bussing to work!  We have also donated staff time and resources to a number of local projects.  One great pleasure was working with Kevin Neary, Jean Jacques and Joan André and Tom Palfrey as we all assisted in gathering and sharing essential information for the Royal BC Museum's History Project.

Yes, 2016 has been a remarkable year.  As artists and designers, storytellers and sculptors, we wish you all a peace-filled and creative 2017!

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”  

                             —Pablo Picasso