Francis Dick

b. 1959

Culture

Dzawad'enux (Tsawataineuk); Kwakwaka'wakw

Bio

Born in 1959 into the musqamakw Dzawadaenutw Band of Kingcome Inlet, Francis is a member of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation. Though she moved away to Victoria as a young adult, she has always maintained her ties to this village, and returned there in 1990-1992 to work as a social worker. After getting her Bachelor of Social Work from UVic. After two years of work, she moved back to Victoria and began to create art for a living. Over a decade later, her home is still paramount to her identity as an aboriginal woman and as a contemporary artist.

Her family is descended from the supernatural Wolf, Kawadelekala who became first of the Kingcome people. The image of this mythical being is prominent in much of Francis' art, acknowledging her contemporary ties to her cultural past. Francis says that "before anything else my work is about honouring my life process, my journey, through my fire, from places of pain and darkness to places that I might stand in my truth; my work is not a career, it is a way of life." This personal journey is reflected in her art, which is a product of her own emotional, spiritual and cultural awakening from her troubled past. Both Native and non-Native audiences have viewed Francis Dick's art as representative of human ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges through journeys of self-discovery.

Although her primary forms of artistic expression have always been through her paintings, prints, and singing, she also works with gold and silver and does some work with wood. She is also an integral member of the artistic community: she offers drum-making workshops and is frequently requested to speak for various community organizations, women's groups, and university classes. In the last decades she has exhibited in dozens of shows including Urban Thunderbirds, Ravens in a Material World in 2014 at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and her work is a part of many private and public collections in Canada.

Artworks

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Title	Date Made	Place Made	Collections	Materials	Measurements	Edition	Credit Line
Wi'woma	1992	-	Works on Paper	Ink on paper	overall: 65 cm x 51 cm	80/150	Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
Walking Thru My Fires	1992/11/01	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Print; Serigraph	overall: 48.00 cm x 63.50 cm x 0.00 cm	114/140	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Kawakelekala's House	1994/08/01	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 36.00 cm x 50.50 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P; 150 signed; 15 artist proofs; 15 remarques	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Child to Mother	1997	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	frame: 64 cm x 64 cm; image size: 40 cm x 40 cm; overall: 50.50 cm x 42.00 cm	Pp (edition: 85)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
K'uma'la	1989	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 55.40 cm x 73.80 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P (edition 0f 140)	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
The Gatherer	1994	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	frame: 94 cm x 74 cm; frame: 92 cm x 74 cm; image size: 69 cm x 50 cm; overall: 76.50 cm x 56.00 cm	90/100	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Galuda (Hamatsa Seagull)	2001	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 40.50 cm x 30.75 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Hamumu (Butterfly)	2000	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 42.50 cm x 50.00 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
K'alalilam	1987	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 37.70 cm x 55.10 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P (edition of 150)	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
U Mata Ya	1990	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 55.90 cm x 66.20 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Honoring Malida	1995	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 76.50 cm x 38.00 cm x 0.00 cm	54/100	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
The Dragon	1996	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Print; Serigraph	overall: 61.00 cm x 46.00 cm x 0.00 cm	33/100	Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
Ascending	2005	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 66.00 cm x 48.50 cm	9/85	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Kank'alanukw	1989	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 47.90 cm x 64.00 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Maya Xa La	1991/08/01	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 43.00 cm x 56.00 cm x 0.00 cm	56/140	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Letting Go	1992	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 48.50 cm x 63.00 cm	Printer's Proof	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Kawadelakala	1986	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 50 X 45 cm	P/P (200)	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Kwaxsistala's Beginnings	1994	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 76.60 cm x 55.60 cm x 0.00 cm	157/200	Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
The Dragon	1996	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 57.00 cm x 41.50 cm	76/100	Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
Wondering	2000	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 38.50 cm x 36.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Raven	2005	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 58.00 cm x 38.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Comes a Woman	1994	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	frame: 92 cm x 71 cm; frame: 94 cm x 74 cm; image size: 74.5 cm x 55.5 cm; overall: 75.50 cm x 56.00 cm	96/150	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Galadzi (Bear)	2003	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 38.00 cm x 32.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Robes of Power	2004	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 33.00 cm x 42.00 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Kwaxsistala's Beginnings	1994	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 76.50 cm x 55.00 cm	Printer's Proof	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Kwi'kw	2001	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 43.50 cm x 46.50 cm	P/P (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Robin	2002	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 39.50 cm x 38.00 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Spiritual Truth	1998	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	frame: 68 cm x 68 cm; image size: 41 cm x 41 cm; overall: 49.50 cm x 53.00 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Raelene	1999	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 57.00 cm x 41.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Keepers of our Fires	2001	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	frame: 64.5 cm x 64.5 cm; image size: 36 cm x 36 cm; overall: 46.00 cm x 45.00 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Protected by Spirit Bear	2005	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 54.00 cm x 37.75 cm	Pp (edition: 200)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Gwa'yi	1987	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 42.90 cm x 56.90 cm x 0.00 cm	62/150	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Kawadelekala's House	1994	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 31.75 cm x 46.00 cm	148/150	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
The Dragon	1996	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 57.00 cm x 41.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
'Maya xa la	1991	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 37.25 cm x 47.25 cm	55/140	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Makwala	1991/10/01	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Print; Serigraph	overall: 43.00 cm x 56.00 cm x 0.00 cm	53/140	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Breaking Through	1995	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.00 cm x 50.50 cm x 0.00 cm	30/100	Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
Connection	1998	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	frame: 74.5 cm x 59 cm; image size: 43 cm x 26 cm; overall: 53.50 cm x 38.00 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Celebration of Life	2006	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	frame: 74.5 cm x 59 cm; image size: 51 cm x 33 cm; overall: 51.50 cm x 33.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Letting Go	1992	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 48.00 cm x 63.00 cm x 0.00 cm	124/140	Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
Breaking Thru	1995	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 48.00 cm x 45.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Eagle's Freedom	2004	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 46.00 cm x 51.25 cm	15 (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Gwayamdzi (Whale)	2004	Gwayi (Kingcome Inlet); British Columbia; Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 26.75 cm x 49.50 cm	Pp (edition: 100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth

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Name (English only)

Francis Dick

Brief_Bio

b. 1959

Artist Detail - v3

Artworks