Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. Community

Terrace spawns new salmon art festival

This week’s featured artist: Leah Pipe
Brittany Gervais
12899525_web1_copy_TST-Skeena-salmon-artist-Leah-Pipe
Hazelton artist Leah Pipe poses with two art pieces to be displayed in this year’s Skeena Salmon Art Exhibit in Terrace. “Heart of the Headwaters” (top image) shows a woman who’s hair becomes the river with salmon flowing from its ends. “Sacred Path” (bottom image) showcases the “life” of a salmon and the land, people and communities it passes on its migratory journey. Pipe says she works as the communications director at Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition by day, and by night, she makes art - images of ravens, salmon, wolves, owls and ancient villages. The art festival will showcase the works of many artists at the Terrace Art Gallery throughout the month of August. Following the widespread salmon fishery closures along the Skeena and Nass Rivers, organizers said this exhibit will provide a way for people to express their strong admiration for the fish through artistic expression.

Each week until the end of August the Terrace Standard will be showcasing a contributing artist to the Skeena Salmon Art Festival at the Terrace Art Gallery. Following the widespread salmon fishery closures along the Skeena and Nass Rivers, organizers hope the exhibit will provide a way for people to express their strong admiration for the fish through artistic expression.

In this feature series, the artists will share their thoughts on the subject in their own words.

READ MORE: Skeena Salmon Art Fest kicks off Aug. 3

This week’s artist, Leah Pipe:

“The Skeena Salmon Art Festival is a great idea. The rivers have been connecting communities for generations and wild salmon are the heartbeat of the North. We Are River People. With salmon stocks diminishing and water temperatures rising in spawning grounds, it’s a critical time to stand behind our salmon. Celebrating them through art has been an honourable duty for northern artists for a long time and now, with this art fest, everyone can lend their voice. We are, in essence, letting the rest of the world know what we Northerners value the most - a healthy and wealthy Skeena River.”

 


newsroom@terracestandard.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

12899525_web1_Heart-of-the-Headwaters-EMAIL
“Heart of the Headwaters” shows a woman whose hair becomes the river with salmon flowing from its ends. Raven sits on top “stealing the light” - the landscape lives within her. (Leah Pipe photo)
12899525_web1_SACRED-PATH-web
“Sacred Path” showcases the “life” of a salmon and the land, people and communities it passes on its migratory journey. Mountains, totems, ravens and feathers abide with the body of the salmon, encompassing northern lives. (Leah Pipe photo)