2026 LIMITED EDITION AND ARTIST BIO'S - Catalog - Page 62
MEET THE ARTISTS INDIGENOUS COLLECTION
Amado Pena Jr.
Pascua Yaqui Tribe
It has been said that his work is the essence of the Southwest, with bold colours, forms and dynamic composition that
capture a vision of people, land, and its art. The drama of Amado’s work is heightened by the intensity of the hues and
the unexpected spatial relationships. Abstractions of the landscape merge with exaggerated human forms; blankets, and
pottery patterns. Peña, a mestizo of Mexican and Yaqui ancestry, celebrates the strength of a people who meet the harsh
realities of life in an uncompromising land and his work is a tribute to these Native Americans who survive by living in
harmony with an adversarial, untamed environment.
It has been said that his work is the essence of the Southwest, with bold colours, forms and dynamic composition that capture
a vision of people, land, and its art. The drama of Amado’s work is heightened by the intensity of the hues and the unexpected
spatial relationships. Abstractions of the landscape merge with exaggerated human forms; blankets, and pottery patterns.
Peña, un métis d’ascendance Mexicaine et Yaqui, célèbre la force d’un peuple qui touche aux dures réalités de la vie dans
un pays sans compromis et son travail est un hommage à ces Amérindiens qui survivent en vivant en harmonie dans un
environnement paradoxal et sauvage.
George Pennier
Coast Salish
George was born in Mission City, B.C., in 1957. He began his career in 1976 when he started carving and designing with
help from his cousin, Willis Peters. Later in 1980 George attended Tony Hunt’s designing and carving course and then,
in 1981, worked with Floyd Joseph and apprenticed under Beau Dick and Francis Horne. In addition to silkscreen prints,
George works primarily in wood, carving masks, bowls, plaques and totem poles.
P
George est né à Mission City, C.-B., en 1957. Il débuta sa carrière en 1976 par la sculpture et le design, aidé de son cousin,
Willis Peters. Plus tard en 1980, George a suivi le cours de sculpture et de design de Tony Hunt, puis en 1981, il a travaillé
avec Floyd Joseph et a été l’apprenti de Beau Dick et Francis Horne. En plus de la sérigraphie, George travaille principalement
le bois, sculptant des masques, bols, plaques et totems.
Melissa Peter Paul
Mi’kmaq
Melissa is a Mi’kmaw woman from Abegweit First Nation, located on Epekwitk (PEI). She began her artistic expression
at a young age, making regalia and beadwork, and is skilled in both traditional and contemporary styles. Melissa’s
exposure to other Mi’kmaq art forms led her to quillwork, a traditional skill in which the ancestors of her maternal
grandfather excelled. Her training was grounded in the traditional insertion technique and utilized the study of both
cultural teachings and formal material culture resources available through historic publications and museums. She
is heavily influenced by 20th century Mi’kmaw quillwork and she is supported in her harvesting efforts by her family.
Melissa est une femme micmaque de la Première nation Abegweit, située à Epekwitk, sur lPÉ. Très tôt, elle a démontré des aptitudes
artistiques pour la confection de parures et de perlages, maniant aussi bien les motifs traditionnels que contemporains. L’exposition
de Melissa à d’autres formes d’art micmac l’a menée à travailler avec des piquants de porc-épic, une technique traditionnelle dans
laquelle les ancêtres de son grand-père maternel excellaient. Sa formation était axée sur la technique d’insertion traditionnelle et
conjuguait les cours pratiques et l’étude des artéfacts présentés dans les publications historiques et les musées. Elle est fortement
influencée par les œuvres micmaques en piquants de porc-épic du 20e siècle et elle est soutenue dans ses efforts de collecte par
sa famille.
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