Art Galleries & Artists
Glass artwork (Danielle Hayes photo)
Kwakwaka'wakw totem poles, masks, rattles, canoes and potlatch regalia reflect the natural and mythological worlds that inspired their creators.
Alert Bay has been a focal point for traditional Aboriginal art since the 'Namgis peoples moved here permanently in the 1870s. Long-standing art forms, weaving, painting and basket-making are well represented today in Alert Bay's museums, artist studios, gift shops, and galleries.
Traditional Carving
Famed carver, Mungo Martin completed his first commissioned totem pole in Alert Bay in 1900, and later built the Big House that stands outside the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria. Emily Carr's classic west-coast style was inspired in part by a visit to Alert Bay in 1909.
The work of such contemporary Alert Bay artists as Stephen Bruce, Bruce Alfred, Calvin Hunt, and William Wasden Jr. keep this ancient tradition alive and thriving in the 21st Century.
Read More
U'mista Cultural Centre Gift Shop
A large and diverse selection of original masks, carvings, paintings, drums, bentwood boxes, combs, necklaces, and rattles are available in the U'mista Cultural Centre's front lobby gift shop. In addition to one-of-a-kind art, the shop also sells prints and affordable jewellery, lapel pins, t-shirts, and other souvenirs. The U'mista Cultural Centre is dedicated to authentic Kwakwaka'wakw art and has assembled a registry of working artists.
Other Art Galleries
Culture Shock Interactive Gallery on Front Street, a few hundred paces from the ferry dock, features the lively and attractive work of Alert Bay's Cranmer sisters. Andrea's Elements of Style fashions, Barb's line of mother of pearl and abalone shell jewellery, and Donna's woven cedar baskets, and wearable fashions seamlessly mix modern and traditional sensibilities.
Just down the street from the Visitor Centre is K'uaweekeela's Treasures, which as the name suggests features both local and north island First Nations' jewellery, masks, and prints.
Read Less