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

Embracing Elegance - Robert Bateman Gallery

Merlayna Snyder, one of the artists who exhibits in our Winter Celebration Art show each year, is one of the selected artists to create a piece for the Robert Bateman Gallery.  This series was sent to us from Merlayna and we wanted to share the exciting revelation of her piece with the world.  Find out more about her work on her website. 

The Creation of Merlayna's oneTree Exhibit Vessel 'Embracing Elegance'

My 200 pound piece from 100 year old Maple Tree - Live Edge Design, Duncan, B.C.

Watering the Wood to keep it from drying out and cracking. I want to sculpt this piece 'green'

First Chainsaw Cut

Ta-Da Let's get started.....

YIKES!

Next chainsaw cut hit a spike under the bark (pink ribbon). When the bark was removed, there was another smaller nail about an inch away. Did someone nail 'Wanted' posters on this 100 year old tree?

The shape of the piece is outlined

Chainsawing excess off the outside....

See the spalting patterns...

Spalting is what I like to call 'the Raku of Nature'. Lines are formed by active fungus to form 'zone lines' that protect the colony from attack by bacteria, insects, etc. The fungus causes pigmented material of various colors and porosity.

Chainsawing the inside shape

Why don't I take this bit off the outside now too?

More intense chainsaw cuts...

Almost done...

Using Lancelot Blades to remove wood ...

More Me and Lancelot....

This is what the piece looks like now

%$#@%&**(&^%$$$$ !!!!

Another nail has appeared when shaping the outside. The piece is almost the finished thickness, so I break the nail off and sand the metal with the outside of the vessel. It's a feature of this 100 year old piece of wood that is now preserved.

Hand rasping to make it smoother. Spalted maple has varied textures and degrees of hardness through the piece, making a smooth finish challenging.

All Smiles! I can lift it up and hold it now

Checking the thickness with my custom calipers from Tennessee.

Multi-tasking.....I am blow drying the outside of the wood so it is dry enough to sand it.

WHEW! Awaiting its finish.

It now weighs a mere 8 pounds ! 

The Vessel with the wood and sawdust that was removed in its creation.

The tools used creating this sculpture....along with a lot of TLC and PATIENCE!

First swipe of finish - See how the color 'pops'

This wood is very dry. It is soaking up a lot of finish. (Wipe-On Poly)

Almost done!

‘Embracing Elegance' - Height 18” x Width 29” x Depth 13” 

View of Other Side of 'Embracing Elegance' (There is no 'front' or 'back' to a freeform sculpture)

Looking Within 'Embracing Elegance'

Tule Mat Lodge Flooring Goes In

The Master artists at Niche Design are part of our team of talented artists fabricating the permanent exhibits.  Yesterday they finished the floor of the Tule Mat Lodge for the New Wanapum Heritage Center.  Angela Buck gave them a "gold star approval!"  Well done team!