By: Angela Shen, Peak Associate
Editor’s note: The author of this article, Angela Shen, is a program assistant at Shadbolt Arts Centre. The Peak acknowledges this and has taken steps to prevent conflict of interest.
As a student learning the art of Chinese brush painting, I always look forward to the exhibits at the Burnaby Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. In November, I saw Musqueam mixed media artist Kelly Cannell’s solo exhibition, ʔəyx̓ watəna:t | Where the River meets the Salish Sea, which featured her newest print designs. Hopping off the 144 SFU bus, I walked a path of autumn coloured foliage to the main centre, and was greeted by a poster describing Shadbolt’s honour in featuring Kelly’s work. Daughter of the prolific artist Susan Point, Kelly been immersed in Coast Salish art “from birth” and “lives it everyday.”
The first art pieces were in the Centre’s café, Encores Bistro. Over a mocha, I enjoyed two mesmerising butterfly patterned prints, “KALEIDOSCOPE STATE” I & II, under the café’s neon pink lights. Curved lines casted over highly saturated blues and yellows, creating an optical vibration, signature of the traditional formline design distinguishing this collection.
I took this time to read up about the Point/Cannell family and their legacy on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) land. You might have seen Susan Point’s red cedar spindle whorl, “Flight,” beyond customs at the Vancouver International Airport, a sculpture of an “eagle and a man with raised arms, welcoming visitors and also gesturing flight.” Point has created countless art pieces in public spaces, translating “Coast Salish traditions into contemporary modes of expression.”
Her family line have carried on the pride of Coast Salish art. On the side of a Granville and 70th condo, you’ll find “Land & Sea,” a coloured glass panel perched in the sky that demonstrates the “way nature flows together.” Next time you catch the sea bus, look out for the signs welcoming visitors in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (Halkomelem) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) languages, with a painting honouring Chinook salmon. Both of these are collaborative works from Kelly and her brother, Thomas Cannell. Thomas also designed the stunning glass frontier, “Sea to Sky,” on the Paramount building in Richmond.
Thomas’ granddaughter, Summer Cannell, carries a love for art into the family’s third generation, with a handful of works already in the public domain at a young age. For instance, she designed the Musqueam–YVR Friendship agreement logo with her dad. These are just a handful of the works of art with which the Point/Cannell family have adorned the city.
Since youth, Kelly’s been an active artist and built a reputation with bold use of lines in her patterns. She frequently works with prints and public artwork, such as murals and sculptures. She also specializes in other mixed media, such as wood carvings, designs, and glass works, having studied glass in prestigious universities in Washington and Istanbul.
Inspired by her mother, Kelly also draws her inspiration from a connection to nature and culture, which was evident in her latest collection. The landscape piece, “Reflection,” with a pattern of whale tails swimming to the rising sun hung above the James Cowan theatre entry.
At the main gallery hall, the Salish alphabet of Kelly’s name unfolded above the over 20 print pieces, and various colours fell in my view: a series of aquatic-themed gradient prints like “Symphony of the Sea” and a “Great Blue Heron” stood out for their gradient backgrounds. For the latter piece, placed in the left centre under a bright yellow sun and a deep navy to light blue gradient sky, a curving flow envelops the heron.
The comfortable gallery hall has soft couch seats along the eggshell coloured walls further down the hall where I sat and looked at “Fusion.” The print features four bedding frogs, with light to dark green lined gradient, dark black outlines, and red lined mouths. The way they’re stacked on top of each other reminded me of mitosis, while the name suggested the opposite.
Names helped me gain a better understanding of the prints, while not assigning any specific meaning to each piece. I found great fulfillment in simply standing and allowing my brain to observe and take in the mesmerising patterns. Kelly makes nature the focal point of her work, while the frontline design creates contemporary yet elegant portrayals of the subject matter.
Observing the framed pieces more closely, I noticed the number of prints for each design were marked in pencil. Take the piece “Reflection,” for example; two prints out of the 78 prints under that theme are shown in the gallery, a testament to her dedication to the subject. I also noticed the colours from the traditional ink print rather than digital print made pieces not as light-reflective, despite the glass frame protection, appearing radiant.
From murals to exhibits to family collaborations, Kelly’s work has undoubtedly always had an astounding and familiar presence in the community. While the exhibit has ended, the Shadbolt Centre always has exciting artists on display, and the atmosphere is perfect for meeting a friend or a crush you finally mustered the courage to go on a date with.
In the meantime, I encourage you to pay close attention to Indigenous art spread around our city and support the artists who kindly share their traditions, history, and culture. Find out more about Kelly’s projects and browse her one-of-a-kind available paintings on her website.
