Indigenous Drawing Workshop with Artist Ungwa-Kasu Chris L. Wilson

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL OPEN STUDIO SESSION ON OCTOBER 1

REGISTER HERE

In honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, learn about Indigenous design in this in-person workshop with Ungwa-Kasu Chris L. Wilson.

Suitable for ages 7 and up. No previous experience required. Supplies will be provided.

Three sessions throughout the day will be offered between 11 AM and 3 PM.

Session 1
11 AM – 12:10 PM*

Session 2
12: 15 PM – 1:30 PM

Session 3
2 PM – 3:30 PM*

Limited to 30 participants per session. Registration is required.

This workshop is free for Members or with admission. Youth 18 years old and under always enjoy free admission to the Gallery, including access to this workshop!

REGISTER HERE

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Chris L. Wilson (he/him) was born into the Haisla Nation in 1975, and in 1983 he was given his uncle’s baby name of Ungwa-Kasu. As the Haisla Nation is a matriarchal society, the traditional names do not die with the passing of the person holding that name; when a person gets their adult name, they pass that name on to their sister’s correlating child. Ungwa-Kasu means first born.

From the time Ungwa-Kasu was 3 years old he was enthusiastic about art and spent hours using a small chalkboard to draw cartoons and animals. When Ungwa-Kasu turned 13 he started to emulate the art that he grew up seeing being made around him by renowned artists in his family such as Derek Wilson, Barry Wilson, Gary Wilson and Henry Robertson. In high school, Ungwa-Kasu took up First Nations design and worked on developing his own style, as each artist has their own style like a fingerprint. His style is unique but close to his uncle Barry’s.

In 2008, Chris moved to Vancouver and has worked at the Vancouver Art Gallery since that time, guarding the artworks that are on display. Part of the perks of his job is to appreciate the world renowned artists whose works have been on display, such as Degas, DaVinci or Carr. However, Ungwa-Kasu has a deeper admiration for the First Nations artists who have had so much taken away from them like he did, but still managed to persevere and make giant names for themselves like Susan Point, Robert Davidson and Roy Henry Vickers. These are the artists that he looks up to and respects for pushing an art form forward into the non Indigenous world and making it world class.