Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous year of the Fire Rooster!

 

Painting by Yvette André (Delbosco Y)

19 Local Artists...

A weekend of mingling with old friends and new, celebrating creativity, and cherishing the opportunity to experience a non-commercial approach to Christmas.

 

Winter Celebration Art Show 2016

Once again we present the varied accomplishments of our artist friends with an exhibition of the talents that surround us.  

For two days in the first weekend of December we assemble a collection of objects and images created by our 'family' of artists.  

Local visitors to Fireweed Studio will have the once-a-year opportunity of seeing and purchasing one-of-a kind objects available nowhere else.  

An added bonus is the opportunity to meet old friends and colleagues and to make new friends in the friendly atmosphere provided in the studio by Bill and Bianca.  

So brave the elements (sometimes it has actually snowed) and trek to Central Saanich for a truly celebratory beginning to the Holiday Season.

What follows is a selection of images created by JJ Andre followed by a single image by Tom Putnam...these are only samples of what will be  on sale.

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Andre & Associates New Studio-Grand Opening!

Between project deadlines, packing and unpacking boxes, we've finally settled in to our new office space!  We are thrilled at the location and are enjoying our largest studio space yet!

June 10th was our Grand Opening and we enjoyed celebrating with family, friends and colleagues.  May thanks to all who came and especially to Jean Jacques and Joan André for sharing the following photographs.

Nigel and Brad enjoy paintings by feature artist Tom Putnam.

Joan, Dante, Carol and Andy catch up in the Kitchen Gallery. 

Bill and Stella, Joan, Dante and Yvette share stories in the Kitchen Gallery.

Lori, Nigel, Burt, Tom and Adrienne look at photographs in the Model Room.

Joan in the design studio.

Joan in the Board Room.

Joan enjoys the skylight in the studio welcome area.

Bill and Janis making plans.

Bianca, Francis, Jeremy and Kelly enjoy a laugh.

Michelle Poitras—Woman of Many Talents

We are so grateful to Michelle Poitras, a young designer who has dove into everything and anything we asked of her as we have prepared for, and completed our move.

From renderings to sewing curtains for our Kitchen Gallery—not to mention packing and unpacking many boxes!—Michelle has simply been a Godsend to our team as we moved 30+ years of files and equipment!

Michelle's work ethic, organization skills, sense of humour, and clear communication are exemplary. Thank you Michelle, from all of us!

Merry Christmas!

A Painting of the Broken Group Islands from Ucluelet by Jean Jacques Andre beautifully depicts our West Coast...

From our office to wherever you are in this amazing world, Merry Christmas from the Andre and Associates Team. May your Christmas and 2016 be filled with peace, laughter, and love.

Wanapum Journey of Design and Fabrication: Traditions and Values Diorama

Traditional activities portraying the Wanapum in a contemporary manner reflect that they have been here, on the Columbia, since time immemorial—and they are still here.

The Traditions and Values diorama embodies a point of view and philosophy rather than a specific location.  The landscape, the mountains, the river, the plants, animals and people continue the enduring major elements in the Wanapum lexicon, but here is a contemporary execution of traditional activities and how they are practiced today. Each mannequin, dressed in appropriate garb, has features sculpted from, and based on, the faces and figures of individual Wanapum.  Rather than a careful reconstruction of some past event with historic clothing, these are the Wanapum as they are now.  The sound of a plane flying overhead reflects the military activities now based on their traditional homeland.  The river is shown as it would have been if there were no dams stopping its flow.

Bianca shows Jan area of mural composition

 

  

 

Traditions and Values Diorama foreground under construction

 

 

Alexandra Sia creates backlit graphic effect

 

Carl and Simone Schlichting preparing and installing artifact mounts

 

L-R Chris Sia, Alexandra Sia, Carl Schlichting, Carol Christianson, Jan Vriesen, Frank Smekar

Mural: Jan Vriesen of Jan Vriesen & Family Art Studio

Plants, grasses, and the diorama foreground:  

Martin Rosnowski of Niche Design LLC; Frank Smekar of Creative Display Installations Inc; and Brad Sickmeyer of Scenic Creations

Animals:  Nathan Scott and Fred Dobbs of Sculpture By Nathan Scott;

painted by Martin Rosnowski of Niche Design LLC

Salmon sculpture by Dan Cline of Daniel Cline Sculpture/Sculpture By Nathan Scott

Specialized Lighting, Soundscape and Interactives (hardware and software): Christopher Sia, Alexandra Sia, David Jones of CPS Electronics Ltd

Mannequins heads and hands: Melanie Furtado Studios, Sculpture By Nathan Scott

Mannequin Forms and artifact mounts by Carl Schlichting, Simone Schlichting and Andreas Schlichting. 

The interactive monitor productions: André & Associates, with videography by Johnny Buck, Nick Johnson of Hey You Media, Christopher Sia, Alexandra Sia and Bianca Message.

Showcase Fabrication: Formations Inc.

The drying rack, the fish platform, the clothing and all replicas were made by the Wanapum, who also supplied all the artifacts that sit in the showcases in front of each traditional activity.  

Wanapum Journey of Design and Fabrication: Introduction Gallery

The oral tradition remains strong in the title of the exhibit, “Tamanawit: Unwritten Laws and Beliefs", and the Introduction Gallery highlights the basaltic landscape with pictographs, plants and hidden animals; through water lighting effect, and bird song, the natural atmosphere is heightened and an audio visual, back-projected on a circular drumhead, shows the Wanapum past and present.  They are in their element.  They are The River People.  Many brains and hands were at work to create this gallery, from concept to completion, instigated, designed and coordinated by the Wanapum and André and Associates. 

Wall colors were inspired by Wanapum traditional colors and by the colors of the surrounding landscape.

The multimedia system design and special effects were created, installed and programmed by Chris Sia, CPS Electronics Ltd.  All exhibit lighting was designed and created by CPS Electronics and André & Associates.  All graphics throughout the exhibits were designed by André and Associates with the Wanapum team, printed by Infinity Images, and installed by Formations Inc.  The two back-lit graphics were printed, fabricated and installed by Niche Design.

The rock wall itself was fabricated and installed by Niche design and the animals hidden amongst the rocks were sculpted by Nathan Scott and Fred Dobbs of Sculpture by Nathan Scott.  

Animals: Nathan Scott and Fred Dobbs of Sculpture By Nathan Scott;

painted by Martin Rosnowski of Niche Design LLC

Coyote and Eagle take shape in Nathan Scott's studio

Rock wall, plants, pictographs and drum structure:

Maroo Nahikian and Martin Rosnowski of Niche Design LLC; 

Frank Smekar of Creative Display Installations Inc; and

Brad Sickmeyer of Scenic Creations

Maroo marks rock casting site

To Scale full size mocked-up Introduction Wall at Niche Design Studio

On-site actual conditions and start of rock install by Martin Roznowski and Frank Smekar

L-R Martin Roznowski, Tyler Finney, and Frank Smekar seam and detail the rock

Marty Roznowski adds petroglyphs and Coyote

Frank Smekar touching up

Niche team finessing the details bringing full realism to the rock wall

Many thanks to Marookeh Nahikian, Frank Smekar and Martin Roznowski and the rest of the Niche team that brought the Introduction area of the Wanapum Heritage Center to life.

Specialized Lighting and Soundscape (hardware and software):

Christopher and Alexandra Sia of CPS Electronics

Media Production: Andy Farrell, Tom Palfrey, and Bianca Message of André and Associates