First Nations carving exhibit opens Jan. 15 in the Hilltop Bistro

Whitehorse - Carving our Path, an exhibit by young First Nations artists from the Northern Cultural Expressions Society (NCES) will open Thursday, January 15 in the Hilltop Bistro at Yukon College. The opening is from 4.00 p.m. until 6.00 p.m. with artists in attendance.

The exhibit is a mix of prints, masks, paddles, plaques and panel carvings in the Tlingit and Southern Tutchone traditions. The pieces range in complexity from both beginner and advanced carvers.

“All of the carvers, from the young beginners to our advanced instructors, have chosen pieces that reflect their personal growth as carvers and artists dedicated to First Nations traditions for this show,“ says Colin Teramura, Carving and Education Programs Supervisor with NCES. “They were all eager to participate in a show promoting their contemporary variations of First Nations cultural traditions.”

The carvings and prints are for sale for the duration of the exhibit, which runs until April. Prices reflect the size and complexity of each piece as well as the experience of the artist. Yukon College does not receive a commission on any work sold in the Hilltop Bistro.

NCES is a dynamic, non-profit organization committed to providing opportunities for Yukon youth to channel their energy into artistic expression, and business development. In 2013, under the mentorship of master carver Wayne Price, the carvers created a healing totem pole in commemoration of residential school survivors and their families. The healing totem now stands on Kwanlin Dün Traditional Territory on Main Street, Whitehorse. NCES operates a year-round carving program for youth and provides carving classes to students from local schools and at their studio and Gallery in the Yukon Inn Plaza on 4th Avenue in Whitehorse.

The Hilltop Bistro is a fine-dining training facility operated by the Food and Beverage Operations and Culinary Arts students at Yukon College. The Bistro is open for lunch Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. from October until May. Reservations can be made by emailing bistroreservations@yukoncollege.yk.ca. The Bistro operates as a community gallery showcasing a different artist each fall and winter term.