Lyle Wilson is a Haisla artist from British Columbia: born at C’idax (Butedale Cannery); spent his early years in Kitamaat Village; moved to the town-site of Kitimat from grade 4-9; then moved back to Kitamaat Village from grade 10-12; after graduating from Mount Elizabeth Secondary School, he worked at Alcan for a year before eventually moving to Vancouver to seek a post-secondary education at the University of British Columbia and the Emily Carr College of Art and Design.
The Haisla people are often referred to as Northern Kwakuitl, however their historic artistic style is, mainly, influenced by the Kwakuitl, Tsimshian, Bella Bella and Bella Coola. The name Kitamaat means “People of the Snow“; which refers to the large snow-fall during the winters. Tsimshian guests who visited the Haisla in mid-winter arrived to see people emerging from traditional bighouses that were completely buried by the snow. Thus, the name Kitamaat was given to the Haisla.
The Haisla Clan system was originally matrilineal and, although he was born into the Beaver Clan, Lyle was formally adapted into his father’s Eagle Clan. Due to high death rates at that time, his Eagle grandmother adapted both Lyle and his sister to bolster the numbers of the Eagle Clan (his sister has now returned to the Beaver Clan).
“I was always aware, and appreciative, of Haisla art after seeing a few old carvings at village places/events. My first living artistic influence was my uncle Sam Robinson — a full-time carver who carved at a time-period when everyone assumed Pacific Northwest Coast carving was a dying art-form consigned to the past; consequently, there was no wide-spread recognition of Northwest Coast art as there is now.
I watched Sam and occasionally whittled to the best of my ability. I didn’t really seriously consider art as a profession until after attending the University of British Columbia — I enrolled, & completed, 5 years of the N.I.T.E.P. and Secondary Art Education programs.
I found time in the studio more interesting and eventually left UBC for further studies at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design (now the Emily Carr University of Art & Design). I graduated with a print-making diploma and began to try develop an individual artistic style — using my life experiences, formal education at UBC and ECUAD as the roots in all my art work: prints, wood carvings, paintings, drawings and gold/silver jewellery.
I also prefer working by myself, because I believe that the individual personality shows itself in the finished work — so I’m reluctant to involve others in my artistic projects unless absolutely necessary. Even the extra large carving I try to do mostly myself so I can keep my personality in my work.
I’m one of the few Pacific Northwest Coast artists fortunate to have an extensive formal, post-secondary education. I’m a life-long student/carver who has interests in numerous areas that — hopefully — enrich whatever work I produce.”
LYLE WILSON.
(c) 778-846-3520
SELECTED GROUP & SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016: “HAISLAKALA: SPOKEN FROM THE HEART”: Nov. 5; solo jewellery
exhibition at the Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
“PAINT: THE PAINTED WORKS OF LYLE WILSON”: this solo show was
shown at the following venues:
2016: Museum of Northern BC, Prince Rupert, B.C.
2014: Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Gallery; Washington State, U.S.A.
2013: Kitimat Museum & Archives, Kitimat, B.C.
2013: Bill Reid Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2012: Maple Ridge Art Gallery, Maple Ridge, B.C.
2009: “CHALLENGING TRADITIONS: CONTEMPORARY FIRST NATIONS ART of
the NORTHWEST COAST”: group exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art
Collection, Ontario.
2009: “NORTH STAR: THE ART OF LYLE WILSON”: solo exhibition at the
West Vancouver Museum, West Vancouver , B.C.
2004: “TOTEMS TO TURQUOISE”: group exhibition at the American Museum of
Natural History, New York.
~ this exhibition also travelled to the Vancouver Museum in 2005
2004: “TOTEMS: SILENT MESSENGERS OF THE WEST COAST”: group exhibition
at the Coastal Peoples Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
2003: “NORTHWEST COAST COLLECTIONS”: group exhibition at the
Inuit Gallery, Van., B.C.
2001: “RAVEN STORIES”: group exhibition at the
Inuit Gallery, Van., B.C.
2001: “NORTHWEST INNOVATIONS: TRANSFORMING TRADITIONS”: group
exhibition at the Evergreen Cultural Centre Art Gallery, Coquitlam, B.C.
2000: “TIME & TIDE”: group exhibition at the
Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
2007: “ORCA CHIEF“
~19 foot by 17 foot, water-jet cut, powder painted layered aluminum wall-sculpture
at the Vancouver International Airport, Van..
1999:1) “KILLER WHALE“.
2) “DANCE FOR THE FIRST CATCH“.
3) “COASTAL SCENE“: 4 separate panels that make one whole scene.
~6 foot by 9 foot canvas screens at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Van..
1995: “THE PADDLER“.
~ 10 foot red cedar totem sculpture at the BC Sports Hall of Fame, Van..
1994: “EAGLE, FISH & BEAVER“.
~ 12 foot red cedar totem-sculpture, Canadian Consulate @ Osaka, Japan.
1993:1) “NOOMIS, THE BLIND MAN”.
2) “THE LOON”.
3) “SALMON“.
4) “SALMON“.
5) “GRIZZLY BEAR“.
~ 5 high relief carved, yellow cedar panels @ the Canadian Institute for
the Blind, Vancouver, B.C..
1992: “GRIZZLY BEAR DANCER“.
~ motor-animated tranformation mask with costume for the B.C. Pavillion
at Expo 1992, Seville, Spain.
~ now on display at the University of Northern British Columbia,
Prince George, B.C..
1992: “EAGLE & BEAVER“.
~ 12 foot red cedar house-post sculpture @ the UBC First Nations House
of Learning, Vancouver, B.C..
RELATED PROJECTS
1995: “HAISLA HOUSE-POST“.
~ 6 foot red cedar replicated carving of old artifact @ the Museum of Anthropology
@ UBC — artist donated the carving to the Haisla Community
School, Kitamaat Village, B.C..
1992: “EULACHON: A FISH TO CURE HUMANITY“.
~co-curated this catalogued exhibition documenting the historical & contemporary
usage of the eulachon fish; opened @ the UBC Museum of Anthropology ,
Vancouver, B.C. .
1988: “IMAGE RECOVERY PROJECT“.
~using an infra-red camera, historical images were photographed, archived
& replicated; this is the most intensive documentation of painted images
of historical work undertaken to this date .
1987: “NORTHWEST COAST TRADITIONAL BIGHOUSE PROJECT “.
~ assistant co-ordinator/liaison for the planning, building of 6 different
Northwest Coast Bighouses @ the UBC Museum of Anthropology; the
bighouses were installed @ the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Quebec .
EDUCATION
1987: 5th Year, Secondary Art Education Department at the
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C..
1988: Graduated with diploma from the 4 Year Print-making Department at the
Emily Carr College of Art and Design (now the Emily Carr University of Art & Design,
Van., B.C..
1976-1979: Native Indian Teacher Education Program at the
University of British Columbia, Van., B.C..
PUBLICATIONS
2012: “SEEKERS and TRAVELLERS: CONTEMPORARY ART of the PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST”
Gary Wyatt.
2012: “PAINT: THE PAINTED WORKS OF LYLE WILSON”
Lyle Wilson.
2010: “THE TOTEM POLE: AN INTERCULTURAL HISTORY“
Aldona Jonaitis & Aaron Glass.
2004: “TOTEMS TO TURQUOISE: NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN JEWELLERY ARTS of the
NORTHWEST and SOUTHWEST“
Kari Chalker, Lois S. Dubin, Peter M. Whitely; eds. .
COLLECTIONS
~ Royal British Columbia Museum.
~Museum of Anthropology at UBC.
~UBC Faculty of Education.
~First Nations House of Learning.
~Vancouver Art Gallery.
~Vancouver International Airport.
~Burnaby Art Gallery.
~Toronto Dominion Bank.
~Canada Council Art Bank.
~Imperial Esso.
~West Vancouver Museum.
~BC Sports Hall of Fame.
~Canadian Institute for the Blind.
~Kitimat Museum and Archives.
~ Haisla Nation Council.
~ Haisla Community School.
~ Museum of Northern BC
