MOUNTED ON PAPER CROSS-STITCH IN GREEN, RED, YELLOW, BLACK, BLUE & PURPLE. "ALPHABET" IN CAPITAL LETTERS. NUMBER 1 TO 10, PICTURE OF HOUSE "ISABELLA HARISON CORTES SCHOOL 1869 MARCH 12".
NEEDLEWORK ON LINEN. MULTI-COLORED EMBROIDERY THREAD ON WHITE LINEN. HANDMADE. FRINGED ENDS. CROSS-STITCHED IN SIX THREAD THICKNESS. CENTRE OF WORK "CANADA CENTENNIAL 1867-1967".
YOUNG GIRL FIGURINE WITH 2 GEESE IN FRONT OF HER. SHE IS WEARING A BROWN HEADSCARF WITH YELLOW POLKA DOTS & A GREEN & YELLOW PINAFORE DRESS. FIGURINE HAS BEEN BROKEN & REPAIRED IN SEVERAL PLACES. FELT BASE. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT.
WATERCOLOUR LANDSCAPE PAINTING. SUBJECT FEATURES 1910 (CENTRAL) & 1891 GALT HOSPITAL HOSPITAL AT THE TIME OF THE HOSPITAL'S COMMISSIONING (1910). FOREGROUND DISPLAYS THRONG OF CEREMONY ATTENDEES AND DEPARTURE OF PRIME MINISTER LAURUER IN MOTORCADE. SIGNED LOWER RIGHT CORNER "CATHERINE ABEL (C) 2006".
PAINTING WAS PURCHASED BY THE GALT MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES ALONG WITH THE COPYRIGHT TO THE IMAGE ON JANUARY 19, 2007.
CATHERINE ABEL COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN ART SPECIALITY AWARD AND A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR EDUCATION THROUGH ART. SHE LATER ATTENDED, THE PITTSBURGH ART INSTITUTE IN FLORIDA AND GRADUATED ON THE DEANS LIST. HER CAREER BEGAN AS A DIVERSIFIED FREELANCE ARTIST AND LATER BRANCHED SUCCESSFULLY INTO EMPLOYMENT AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER, TELEVISION GRAPHIC ARTIST AND ART TEACHER.
IN 1985, ABEL, DECIDED TO PURSUE HER ART HAS AN ENTREPRENEUR. HER WATERCOLOURS PORTRAY THE HERITAGE BUILDINGS FROM HER AREA. ABEL'S WORK REFLECTS A CONCERN FOR THE PRESERVATION OF CANADIAN HERITAGE AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENT.
ABEL STATED, "THESE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS ARE REMINISCENT OF A MORE PEACEFUL TIME, WHEN THINGS WERE BUILT TO LAST AND TO BE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING. THEY ALSO HOLD MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF EARLY CANADIAN LIFE. I HOPE WE CAN PRESERVE THIS PART OF OUR HERITAGE FOR OUR CHILDREN TO ENJOY."
ABEL RESIDED IN LETHBRIDGE , ALBERTA FOR PERIODS OF TIME THROUGHOUT HER ADULT LIFE.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON THE ARTIST, CATHERINE ANN ABEL, WAS FOUND IN A STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY PRODUCED BY THE ARTIST FOR HER 'LANDMARK STRUCTURES OF LETHBRIDGE' SERIES: "CATHERINE ANN ABEL SHOWED A NATURAL TALENT FOR DRAWING AS A CHILD. SHE PURSUED FORMAL TRAINING FROM THE VANCOUVER SCHOOL OF ART, THE PITTSBURGH ART INSTITUTE AND DISNEY INSTITUTE IN FLORIDA, AS WELL AS BY APPRENTICESHIP. CATHERINE HAS RECEIVED AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND MUCH RECOGNITION FOR HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS. BEGINNING HER CAREER AS A DIVERSIFIED FREELANCE ARTIST, SHE WAS LATER EMPLOYED BY CBC TV AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND COURTROOM SKETCH ARTIST. SHE HAS ALSO TAUGHT A VARIETY OF ART PROGRAMS. TODAY, SHE IS KNOWN AS A CANADIAN HERITAGE ARTIST, SPECIALIZING IN HISTORICALLY ACCURATE WATERCOLOR PORTRAYALS OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS. CATHERINE CURRENTLY PURSUES HER LOVE OF FINE ART FROM HER HOME STUDIO IN LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA AND HAS SOLD OUT SEVERAL SELF-PUBLISHED PRINT EDITIONS OF HER WORK".
SEE PERMANENT FILE P20010095001 FOR HARDCOPY OF STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY.
FIGURINE REPRESENTS A YOUNG MAN IN COLONIAL COSTUME, WHITE COAT WITH RED TRIM & GOLD BEAD DECORATION. RED TRIANGULAR HAT, BLUE KNEE PANTS. FIGURE IS CARRYING A BLUE PRESENT. "1911" "BOUGHT DOWN EAST" WRITTEN IN PENCIL ON BASE. HEAD HAS BEEN MENDED. CHINA. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT.
EMBROIDERED CARD. CARDSTOCK FRAME WITH GOLD, EMBOSSED, SCALLOPED BORDER AND CORNER DECORATIONS. GREEN, PAPER, LACE SURROUNDS SILK INSERT. EMBROIDERED “TO MY NIECE… MY GENTLE NIECE.” IN GREEN PURPLE AND BLUE. SOME PAPER LOSS ON BOTTOM OF REVERSE OF CARD. NOTECARD DISCOLORED AND SOILED THROUGHOUT.
CARDBOARD BOX CONTAINS STRANDS OF SILVER FOIL. OBVERSE OF BOX READS "GLACONS DOUBLE*GLO ICICLES FLAMEPROOF/ININFLAMMABLES 600 STRANDS BRINS NO LEAD CONTENT - NE CONTIENNENT PAS DE PLOMB". THERE IS ALSO A WINDOW THAT ALLOWS VIEW OF CONTENTS. ALSO PRICETAG ON THIS SIDE THAT READS "WOODWARD'S". BOTH ENDS OF BOX ARE OPEN.
FRAMED PICTURE IS OF A MAN AND A WOMAN WITH BOWED HEADS STANDING IN A HARVESTED FIELD. FRAME IS SILVER COLORED WITH CLEAR GLASS PANE. BACKING OF PICTURE IS 1965 CALENDAR WITH COLOR PICTURE OF A SAIL BOAT ON A MOUNTAIN LAKE.
ART WORK BELONG'S TO DONOR'S PARENTS WHO WERE DEVOUT CHRISTIANS WHO WORKED FOR THE ANGLICAN CHURCH. DONOR RELATES THAT THIS PICTURE WAS OF SIGNIFICANT VALUE TO THEM. REV. NAKAYAMA, AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO COALDALE IN 1945 AFTER BEING RELOCATED FROM VANCOUVER IN 1942 TO SLOCAN CITY IN THE INTERIOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. AT COALDALE HE FOUNDED THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION WHERE HE WAS RECTOR FROM 1945 TO 1970.
SEE RECORD P19970041001 FOR EXPANDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND PERMANENT FILE FOR FURTHER HISTORY.
BODY OF ORNAMENT IS A PINECONE. GLUED TO THIS IS A ROUND STYROFOAM HEAD WITH BEAK, AND TWO OVAL SHAPES FOR WINGS. ENTIRE ORNAMENT IS COVERED WITH WHITE PAINT AND SILVER GLITTER. THERE ARE TWO BLACK FELT MARKS FOR EYES. A SILVER STRING IS TIED AROUND NECK AND FORMS A LOOP FOR HANGING.
VARIETY STEEL ORNAMENT HANGERS IN RD BOX. RD BOX DISPLAYS SNOWMAN HEAD THAT IS POINTED AT BOTH ENDS WEARING A GREEN HAT THAT READS " DOUBLE GLO". OTHER TEXT ON BOX READS "50 ORNAMENT HANGERS", "ADVERTISED IN LIFE". OPPOSITE SIDE SAME BUT IN FRENCH. BOX CONTAINS 33 ORNAMENT HANGERS IN A VARIETY OF STYLES AND SIZES.
PLASTIC ANGEL WITH WINGS IN A CLOUD OF COTTON. GLD STRING ATTACHED TO TOP OF ANGEL. ANGEL HAS CHILD-LIKE APPEARANCE WITH CLOSED EYES, ROSY CHEEKS, AND HANDS FOLDED IN PRAYER GESTURE. FACE AND WINGS ARE HAND PAINTED. YLLW WINGS ON BACK. ANGEL IS SITTING IN A CLOUD MADE FROM COTTON WITH SPARKLES AND FIVE SILVER STARS.
FRAMED ACRYLIC PAINTING ON CANVAS BOARD. IMAGE DEPICTS A NATIVE SUBJECT ON HORSEBACK HUNTING BISON WITH BOW AN ARROW. SIGNED LOWER RIGHT CORNER "TAILFEATHERS", "1966". REVERSE LABELLED " TO...YATES MEMORIAL CENTER...TO COMMEMORATE CENTENNIAL YEAR 1967".
WORK WAS OFFERED TO GALT BY DIANE MIEDEMA AT THE RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. NO SPECIFICS ARE KNOWN ABOUT THE HANGING OF THE WORK FOLLOWING THE CITY'S ACQUISITION OF THE WORK IN 1967. MIEDEMA AGREED TO HAVE THE WORK COMBINED WITH OTHER WORKS SENT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR FULL LIST OF WORKS.
GERALD TAILFEATHERS (1925-1975) WAS BORN ON THE KAINAI RESERVE ON 13 OR 14 FEBRUARY, 1925. THOUGH TAILFEATHERS DIED YOUNG AT THE AGE OF FIFTY, HIS SHORT LIFE MARKED HIS RISE TO INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE AS A VISUAL ARTIST, ILLUSTRATOR, AND SCULPTOR.
TAILFEATHERS WAS QUITE YOUNG WHEN HE FIRST BEGAN HIS FORMAL ART TRAINING. IN 1935, AT THE TENDER AGE OF TEN, TAILFEATHERS TRAVELLED TO THE UNITED STATES TO STUDY AT THE ST. MARY’S LAKE SUMMER ART SCHOOL IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA. STUDY AT THE SCHOOL WOULD HAVE AN INTERESTING INFLUENCE ON TAILFEATHERS’ WORK. ON ONE HAND, HIS ART WAS INFLUENCED BY ARTISTS SUCH AS CARL LINCK AND THE GERMAN BORN PAINTER FROM NEW YORK NAMED WINOLD REISS. REISS HAD MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1913 WITH THE DREAM OF PAINTING PORTRAITS OF NATIVE PEOPLES, WITH WHOM HE HAD CARRIED A BOYHOOD FASCINATION. STARTING IN 1927, REISS WAS COMMISSIONED TO PRODUCE NUMEROUS PORTRAITS OF MEMBERS OF THE BLACKFOOT CONFEDERACY FOR THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY, WHICH THE COMPANY USED IN POSTERS, MENUS, CALENDARS, AND OTHER ADVERTISING MATERIALS. WHILE REISS’ PORTRAITS WERE UNABASHEDLY ROMANTIC, REISS’ WORK WAS CONSIDERED FRESH FOR ITS TIME IN THAT IT DEPICTED THE BLACKFOOT PEOPLE IN A VIBRANT AND MOVING STYLE. TAILFEATHERS STUDIED CLOSELY UNDER REISS IN MONTANA, AND HIS EARLIER ARTWORK SHOWS HIS MENTOR’S INFLUENCE.
IN ADDITION TO HIS ART TRAINING, TAILFEATHERS WAS RECEIVING A DIFFERENT KIND OF EDUCATION AT THE ST. MARY’S LAKE SUMMER SCHOOL. WHILE AT ST. MARY’S HE FORGED FRIENDSHIPS WITH MANY KAINAI ELDERS. THROUGH THEIR TUTELAGE, TAILFEATHERS WOULD GAIN A PROFOUND SENSE OF HIS OWN CULTURE, AND THIS THEME RESONATED IN HIS ARTWORK.
1941 WAS ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT YEAR FOR GERALD TAILFEATHERS. IN THAT YEAR, HE BEGAN STUDIES AT THE BANFF SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS, FOR WHICH HE HAD RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP. THERE HE CONTINUED TO DEVELOP HIS STYLE MENTORED BY SUCH ARTISTS AS CHARLES COMFORT, WALTER PHILIPS, AND H.G. GLYDE. DURING THIS TIME, TAILFEATHERS WAS EXPOSED TO THE ARTWORKS OF WESTERN ARTISTS SUCH AS CHARLES M. RUSSEL AND FREDERICK REMINGTON, AND HE ENDEAVOURED TO FIND HIS OWN VISUAL STYLE THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION. IN 1942, TAILFEATHERS STUDIED COMMERCIAL DESIGN AT THE PROVINCIAL INSTITUTE OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY IN CALGARY. HE FOUND WORK WITH THE HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY AS A PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER. LATER, HE SERVED AS A BAND COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE KAINAI NATION. DESPITE HIS BUSY SCHEDULE, TAILFEATHERS PRODUCED NUMEROUS WORKS IN MEDIA RANGING FROM OILS AND WATERCOLOURS TO CHARCOAL, PASTELS, AND PEN AND INK.
BY THE 1950S, TAILFEATHERS WAS BEGINNING TO EXPLORE THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS WORK. HIS KNOWLEDGE OF KAINAI HISTORY AND CULTURE BEGAN TO BECOME THE FOCUS OF HIS WORK, AND HIS ART PIECES STOOD AS VIGNETTES OF 19TH-CENTURY KAINAI LIFE. DURING THE 1950S AND 1960S, TAILFEATHERS’ WORK BEGAN TO RISE IN PROMINENCE. HIS WORKS WERE FEATURED AT SUCH VENUES AS THE MONTREAL EXPOSITION IN 1967, THE CALGARY STAMPEDE, THE GLENBOW MUSEUM IN CALGARY, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS NATIONAL ART EXHIBITIONS ACROSS CANADA. ALWAYS EXPERIMENTING WITH HIS ART AND ACCEPTING NEW CHALLENGES, TAILFEATHERS ILLUSTRATED AN AWARD WINNING CHILDREN’S BOOK, THE WHITE CALF, IN 1965; AFTER 1969, TAILFEATHERS ADDED CAST BRONZE SCULPTURE TO HIS ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS. HIS SCULPTING WAS INFLUENCED BY ARIZONA ARTIST GEORGE PHIPPIN, AND DEPICTED COWBOY ART THEMES.
EXCERPT TAKEN FROM ALBERTA ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA: http://www.albertasource.ca/treaty7/kainai_tailfeathers.html
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR A HARDCOPY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ON TAILFEATHERS.
RECTANGULAR HEAVY PAPER WALL HANGING ROLLED ON PLASTIC TUBE. HANGING HAS WHITE RECTANGULAR CENTER WITH TWO COLUMNS OF HAND PAINTED JAPANESE CHARACTERS WITH SQUARE ARTISTS STAMPS. WHITE AND RED STRIPED NYLON CORD IS ATTACHED AT TOP TO HANG WITH AND TO WRAP HANGING WHEN ROLLED.
HANGING BELONGED TO DONOR'S FAMILY AND WAS USED AS DECORATION WHILE LIVING AT COALDALE. THE NAKAYAMA FAMILY WAS ORIGINALLY FROM VANCOUVER BUT MOVED TO COALDALE FOLLOWING THE SECOND WORLD WAR WHEN THEY WERE INTERNED AT SLOCAN CITY IN THE INTERIOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. THE DONOR'S FATHER, REV. CANON G.G. NAKAYAMA, WAS AN ANGLICAN MINISTER IN VANCOUVER, AND THEN ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION IN COALDALE IN 1945 WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL 1970.
SEE RECORD P19970041001 FOR EXPANDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND PERMANENT FILE FOR FURTHER HISTORY.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS. NO NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTIFACT WAS FOUND.
DONOR CLAIMS 1866. THIS TYPE OF PUNCHED PAPER MOTTO WERE POPULAR IN CANADIAN HOMES, FIRST GAINING PROMENANCE IN THE VICTORIAN ERA. THEY WERE IN MASS PRODUCTION AS EARLY AS THE 1860'S. MOST EXPRESSED RELIGIOUS SLOGANS OR COMMENTS SUCH AS "GOD BLESS OUR HOME".
*UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS. SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNCOVER ANY NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTIFACT, BUT DID LEARN THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS ON THE DONOR, HATTIE MENZIE, FROM HER LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY: HATTIE MCLEOD MENZIE WAS BORN IN 1885 IN TALAMAGOUCHE, NOVA SCOTIA, AND CAME TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1911 WITH HER FAMILY. SHE WAS THE WIFE OF CITY SOLICITOR HARRY WESTON MENZIE, WHO PASSED AWAY IN 1957. HATTIE MENZIE DIED IN LETHBRIDGE ON MAY 23, 1978.
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARD COPY OF OBITUARY.
CARDBOARD CUTOUT OF SANTA CLAUS FACE AND HAND. PICTURES BELLS AROUND WRIST AND HAND IN GREEN GLOVE WITH INDEX FINGER UP. AROUND INDEX FINGER IS A RED RIBBON TIED IN A BOW. THERE IS A PERFORATED CIRCLE WITH CROSS HATCH MARKS AT CENTER OF BOW (CIRCLE CAN BE PUNCHED OUT). REVERSE HAS RESIDUE AND WEAR MARKS FROM ADHESIVE TAPE.
RECTANGULAR PAPER ARTWORK WITH GLASS FACE TAPED TO IT. PICTURE IS OF A COLORFUL BOUQUET OF FLOWERS ON LEFT SIDE AND TEXT SCROLL ON RIGHT SIDE WITH FLOWERS AROUND IT. TEXT IN SCROLL READS "TO MOTHER: POETS WRITE ABOUT HER, SONGS TELL OF HER LOVE, I CANNOT DO WITHOUT HER, IT'S 'MOTHER' I'M THINKING OF."
PICTURE WAS GIVEN TO DONOR'S MOTHER, LOIS NAKAYAMA (NEE MASUI YAO), AS A GIFT FROM HER CHILDREN ON MOTHER'S DAY. LOIS NAKAYAMA WAS ORIGINALLY FROM JAPAN AND WAS A CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY TO THE JAPANESE COMMUNITY IN VANCOUVER WHEN SHE MET AND MARRIED G.G. NAKAYAMA IN 1926. SHE WAS A GRADUATE OF JAPAN'S KINDERGARTEN TRAINING COLLEGE AND WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN VANCOUVER, SLOCAN AND COALDALE WHERE SHE MOVED WITH HER FAMILY IN 1945.
SEE RECORD P19970041001 FOR EXPANDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND PERMANENT FILE FOR FURTHER HISTORY.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS. NO NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTIFACT WAS FOUND.
RECTANGULAR HEAVY WHITE CARDBOARD WITH COPPER COLOURED EDGING AND FIVE JAPANESE SYMBOLS IN BLACK INK. SMALL RED SQUARE INK SEAL IS ON LEFT SIDE. REVERSE HAS JAPANESE WRITING AS WELL.
POETRY CARD IN JAPANESE BELONGED TO DONOR'S FAMILY WHILE LIVING AT COALDALE. THE NAKAYAMA FAMILY WAS ORIGINALLY FROM VANCOUVER BUT MOVED TO COALDALE FOLLOWING THE SECOND WORLD WAR WHEN THEY WERE INTERNED AT SLOCAN CITY IN THE INTERIOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. THE DONOR'S FATHER, REV. CANON G.G. NAKAYAMA, WAS AN ANGLICAN MINISTER IN VANCOUVER, AND THEN ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION IN COALDALE IN 1945 WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL 1970.
SEE RECORD P19970041001 FOR EXPANDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND PERMANENT FILE FOR FURTHER HISTORY.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS. NO NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTIFACT WAS FOUND.
WHITE AND GREEN PLASTIC DECORATION WITH "MERRY CHRISTMAS" SPELLED IN WHITE PLASTIC WITH SILVER SPARKLES ON THE LETTERS. AT TOP LEFT IS RED FELT POINSETTIA AND GREEN PLASTIC HOLLY LEAVES ARE ALL AROUND AND MOUNTED ON BACK.
CHRISTMAS DECORATION WAS USED BY DONOR'S FAMILY WHILE LIVING AT COALDALE. REV. NAKAYAMA AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO COALDALE IN 1945 AFTER BEING RELOCATED FROM VANCOUVER IN 1942 TO SLOCAN CITY IN THE INTERIOR OF B.C. AT COALDALE HE FOUNDED THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION WHERE HE WAS RECTOR FROM 1945 TO 1970.
SEE RECORD P19970041001 FOR EXPANDED BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND PERMANENT FILE FOR FURTHER HISTORY.
SANTA CLAUS ORNAMENT. BODY IS MADE FROM PINECONE WITH RED PAINT AND GLITTER ON IT. ARMS ARE MADE FROM RED PIPE CLEANER. ONE 'HAND' HOLDS RED AND YELLOW LANTERN MADE OF PAPER; OTHER HAND HAS SMALL GREEN REMNANT. HEAD AND HAT ARE MADE FROM PAPER; BEARD IS MADE FROM WHITE PIPE CLEANER; EYES AND MOUTH ARE PAINTED ON. FEET ARE MADE FROM FIBROUS MATERIAL AND PAINTED WHITE. THERE IS A GOLD THREAD THROUGH HAT THAT IS TIED INTO LOOP FOR HANGING. TOP OF ORNAMENT IS COMING LOOSE FROM PINECONE.