Skip to content

Salish Weave Collection now touring Comox Valley schools

École au Cœur de l’Île (SD93) and School District 71 are the recipients of Box I and Box II of the Salish Weave Collection, donated by Christiane and George Smyth of Victoria.
11681368_web1_180503-CVR-C-Salishweave
Box I and Box II of the Salish Weave Collection are currently on display at École au coeur de L’ile in Comox. Photo submitted

École au Cœur de l’Île (SD93) and School District 71 are the recipients of Box I and Box II of the Salish Weave Collection, donated by Christiane and George Smyth of Victoria.

The Salish Weave Collection is included in a collection of 58 art works that have been designated as ‘cultural property’ at the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. Cultural property designates an object to be of outstanding significance and national importance.

Salish Weave is a large private collection of contemporary Coast Salish art that weaves together the distinctive art form, designs and style of established and emerging artists. Each box set comprises nine limited-edition prints that have been commissioned by Coast Salish artists who are reviving the traditional Salish art style. These artists include Andy Everson, Susan Point, LesLIE, Maynard Johnny Jr, Chris Paul, Dylan Thomas, John Marston and Luke Marston.

Box sets have been donated to eight school districts within Greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island, territories that are located in traditional Coast Salish territory.

Students and staff alike are honoured and grateful to be surrounded by such beautiful and meaningful works on a daily basis at École au Coeur de l’Ile.

Aboriginal Education SD71 has divided the collection of 18 prints into three kits that are available to schools to book through the Learning Resources Centre.

The prints are viewed as ‘the working collection,’ and are being brought to classrooms and used as teaching resources in all subjects to educate children of all grade levels. The collection comes with an assortment of lesson plans and teaching aides that include resources from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Aboriginal Education of the two local school districts have collaborated to provide a capacity building day dedicated to sharing the knowledge for the teachers of SD93 and Aboriginal Support Workers of SD71.