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28SUMMER2014BCFerriesonBoardEncountersRightthiswayAguidetoHaidaGwaiisartistictreasuresBYLYNDSIEBOURGONARTTravellingalongoneofCanadasmostremotecoastlinesitseasytoseewhygenerationsofartistshavesoughtrefugehere.WithitsrichHaidaheritagedramatican-cientforestswindsweptbeachesandtight-knitcommunitiestheHaidaGwaiiislandchainhaslongattractedcarverspainterspoetsandmusiciansfromaroundtheworld.Todaytheirnumbersseemdisproportionatetotheis-landscombinedpopulationofjust5000people.WhilethiscreativesethasfosteredadynamicartscenerichincontemporaryandnativeinfluenceswithworksaccessibleatlocalgalleriessuchasBenDa-vidsonsgalleryAllAboutUArtsinSkidegateitwasntalwayseasyespeciallyforvisitorstolocateHaidaGwaiiartistswhosestudiosareoftentuckedawayinprivateenclavesknownonlytotheartistsandtheircircleoffriends.Anewonlinedirectoryshowcas-ingartistsandtheircreativeworksavailableongohaidagwaii.cahaschangedthat.Thelistingsavail-abledigitallyordownloadableasaPDFprovidevisitorswiththemeanstoconnectone-on-onewithartistsmanyofthemwelcomingguestsintotheirstudiostoseehowtheirworksarecrafted.YoullneedacarorbiketoexploreHaidaGwaiisartscene.The113-kilometreprimaryroadthatstretchessouthtonorthonHaidaGwaiisGrahamIslandthearchipelagoslargestandmostnortherlyislandmeandersthroughfivesmallcommunitiesQueenCharlotteTlellSkidegatePortClementsandMasset.Allofthemarehometogalleriesandstudiosownedandoperatedbylo-calartisansandheritagesocieties.Itsafeastofvariedworkspaint-ingssculptureandjewelryandeverythingfromnaturephotogra-phyandwatercolourportraitstoknitwearandinstallationart.Followingtheroadwhichrunsalongsidetheislandsrockyshore-linebeforeheadinginlandtothefarmlandofPortClementsoffersvisitorsinsightintothenaturalworldreflectedintheworksoflocalartists.InTlelltheCrystalCabinGalleryisfull-to-the-brimwithscavengedmineralsfromthenearbyforestandbeaches.AcrosstheroadSitkaStudiosellscoffeebooksandcardsfromatwo-storeywoodcabin.Thereisalsoatrea-suretroveofarttobefoundintheinterpretivecentregiftshopattheVillageofMassetsDelkatlaWild-lifeSanctuarywiththemigra-torybirdrefugeandmarshlandsportrayedinmanyoftheshopspaintingsandcards.AdecadeagopainterSheilaKar-rowmovedtotheislandfromWa-terlooOntariobringingherprac-ticewithher.Whatattractedherwasthenaturethepristinenessofitallshesays.Youreallyareinanotherworld.KarrowpaintstidalpoolsandoldgrowthforestfromherstudiointheVillageofQueenCharlotteperchedon3rdAvenueandboastingaviewoftheoceanandgardensbelow.KarrowisamongtheartistswhoseworkscanbefoundattheAllAboutUArtsgallery.ProprietorBenDavidsonthesonofoneofCanadasmostrenownedHaidaartistsRobertDavidsonisaworld-renownedartistandcarverinhisownright.Hehasbroughthissuccesshomethroughthegallerywhichheopenedthreeyearsago.HesayspriortoopeningAllAboutUWeusedtosendthiscalibreofworkoff-island.Todayhoweverwithinitiativesliketheonlinedirectoryencourag-ingmorevisitorsincludingartlov-erstocometoHaidaGwaiimorepurchasesarebeingmadelocally.ItsgreatforsmallcommunitiesandforartistsoffthebeatenpathsaysDavidson.Greatforvisitorstoo.HElaborateworkssuchasalocallycraftedHaidaceremonialcanoemaskandprintbyBenDavidsonpicturedbelowaswellasfineartbyresidentssuchaspainterSheilaKarrowforestcanvascentrebelowareavailableforcommissionorpurchaseonHaidaGwaiiatartiststudiosandgalleriessuchasAllAboutUArtsinSkidegate.PHOTOSALLABOUTUBOTTOMLEFTJASONSHAFTO