丁香园AV

Phyllis Atkins q虛w蓱ti虛c蓱虛 

Digital print on vinyl  
SRYE Building

Our Roots Run Deep depicts the artists鈥� connection to the land and water from the territories of Kwantlen to Shackan. The work depicts the sacredness of the salmon returning to its spawning grounds to create new life. Within the composition, the grizzly bear represents Phyllis Atkin鈥檚 mother鈥檚 family line, and the wolf represents Kwantlen First Nation, as the artists鈥� family descended from the wolf. The eagles, which fly higher and closer to the sun than any other bird, represent the artists鈥� ancestors carrying prayers to the good Creator, the creator of all beautiful things.

鈥淥ur roots run deep from the Thompson to the Fraser rivers,鈥� asserts the artist. 鈥淏oth my son Noah and I have ancestral names that come from N艂e蕯kepmxcim territory in the Interior Salish region, and we live in Kwantlen First Nation, in the Coast Salish region, where my late Father Joe Gabriel was the Hereditary Grand Chief. My son鈥檚 ancestral name, Ncwa蕰, is that of his great great grandfather, who was a highly respected chief of Shackan, where my mother, Maureen Gabriel, is from. I am q虛史蓱t虛ic虛蓱 and I was given this name by my maternal grandfather, hereditary Chief Anthony Joe of Shackan. This was the name of his favourite aunt who took him in and raised him with her husband N蓹q虛蓱涩c虛i. As an Indigenous woman and mother, I am very proud and honoured to mentor and collaborate on this legacy project with my oldest son, Noah Atkins.鈥�

Phyllis Atkins q虛w蓱ti虛c蓱虛 is a member of q始史a:n虛茮始蓹n虛 (Kwantlen) First Nation, and her traditional name means 鈥淚 wear the clouds like a blanket.鈥� She is the founder, co-owner, and lead artist of K'wy'i'y'e Spring Salmon Studio. She is also the Manager and Board Director at Stalew Arts & Culture Society. Atkins was taught how to paint by Barbara Boldt at the Barbara Boldt Original Art Studio and studied with her for many years until she opened her own studio in 2012. In 2001, she learned the art of hand-engraving jewelry from the late Master carver Derek Wilson from Haisla, BC. Atkins often practices art in collaboration with her family. She created Our Roots Run Deep together with her son Noah Atkins.