Art Thompson

b. 1948 Whyac, B.C. d. 2003.

Culture

Ditidaht, Nuu-chah-nulth; Cowichan, Coast Salish

Bio

Art Thompson (Tsa Qwa Supp) belonged to the Ditidaht band of the Nuu-chah-nulth people on Vancouver Island. Born in 1948 in the remote village of Whyac, he maintained involvement in the cultural life of his community. Thompson was largely a self-taught artist, though he took courses at Camosun College and The Vancouver School of Art, and who began drawing and painting at an early age. As well, he benefited from the experience of having a father and grandfather who were carvers. Significant, too, were his studies with Ron Hamilton and Joe David, two of the artist most responsible for he resurgence of Nuu-chah-nulth art.
Having worked in conjunction with numerous artists over the years and has developed his own unique interpretation of the ancient Nuu-chah-nulth art form in over 100 published serigraphs, his chosen artform. His artistic contributions have been photographed and documents in numerous magazines, books and periodicals, many of which include feature articles, and his work is held in collections world-wide in Canada, the United States, and Singapore.
Thompson was initiated into the Tloo-Kwalla or Wolf Society, a tribal initiation ceremony that had been passed down through the generations and besides his renown as a visual artist he attained recognition for his knowledge and practice of the traditional Nuu-chah-nulth culture. Thompson was also a tireless fighter for all those who suffered the abuses of the residential school system.
Tragically, Art Thompson passed away from cancer in 2003.

Sources: UVic Archived Artist Bios
http://www.cedarhilllonghouse.ca/artist/art-thompson

Artworks

1 - 50 of 161

Title	Date Made	Place Made	Collections	Materials	Measurements	Edition	Credit Line
Thunderbird And Wolves	1982	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 48.00 cm x 37.50 cm x 0.00 cm	12/200	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Seal	n.d.	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 44.50 cm x 57.40 cm x 0.00 cm	Printer's Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Mussel	1977	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Print; Serigraph	overall: 50.00 cm x 65.50 cm x 0.00 cm	Printer's Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Tooq-Beek (Wolf/Whale Transformation)	1999	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 68.75 cm x 65.50 cm	Pp (edition: 75)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Untitled (Sea Urchin)	1974	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 44.60 cm x 58.60 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Hummingbird	1975	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 29.50 cm x 44.90 cm x 0.00 cm	Printer's Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Halibut	1978	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 50.20 cm x 65.90 cm	Printers proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Kwaht-Yaht is Born	1989	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 58.50 cm x 55.50 cm	2/150	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
My Family	1981	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 49.20 cm x 46.70 cm x 0.00 cm	52/160	Gift of Dr. Richard Kramer
Thunderbird and Serpents	1993/07/01	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 48.00 cm x 51.00 cm x 0.00 cm	P/p;150; 15 artist proofs	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
House of the Wolves	October 1987	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	39.00 cm x 65.00 cm x 0.00 cm	1/1 Printer's Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Untitled (Wolf #1)	1974	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 44.60 cm x 58.90 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Twin Killer Whales	1991	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.00 cm x 51.00 cm	3/150	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Thlop-Kee-Tupp	1990/01	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 72.50 cm x 57.00 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Our Beginnings	1999	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 92.00 cm x 72.00 cm	50/133	The Giving Back Project. Gift of David Fate Norton and Mary J. Norton
Thunderbird Eating A Whale	1986/12	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 49.10 cm x 54.80 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Dance Of The Princess	1990/12/06	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 51.00 cm x 53.40 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Qwiss-Toopsh	1982/02	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 36.40 cm x 50.50 cm x 0.00 cm	4/250	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Untitled (Drum Design)	1992	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.50 cm x 50.00 cm	51/200	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Northern Style Shaman's Mask	1994	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Woodwork	Carved and painted alder with human hair	overall: 24.00 cm x 15.50 cm x 8.50 cm	-	Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Ah-Diss (Crane-Fog Maker)	1990/12/06	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 22.00 cm x 20.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Killer Whale Transforming into a Wolf	1980	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 46.00 cm x 51.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Kwaht Yahts Gift	1991/ December	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 58.50 cm x 27.80 cm x 0.00 cm	74/120	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Uthl-Muc-Ko	n.d.	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 66.00 cm x 51.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
My Family	1981	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 49.40 cm x 47.90 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof for edition of 160	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Untitled (Crawling Wolf)	1980	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 37.50 cm x 48.25 cm	59/60	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Ka-Ka-Win-Chealth	1979/04	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 45.50 cm x 37.40 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof for edition of 125	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Serpent Dancer	1980	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 61.00 cm x 45.60 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof for edition of 125	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Crawling Wolves	1981/03	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.40 cm x 49.70 cm x 0.00 cm	126/160	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Sah-Sin	1979	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 54.00 cm x 50.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Octopus	1975	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 44.60 cm x 29.50 cm x 0.00 cm	59/100	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Dididaht Legend of Swans and Wolves	n.d.	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Woodwork	Red cedar; copper; alabone; operculum; cedar bark; paint	overall: 160.00 cm x 230.00 cm x 10.00 cm	-	Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Twin Humans	1991	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.50 cm x 51.00 cm	This rare print is part of the four part series of Kwaht-Yaht's gifts: Twin Humans, Twin Wolves, Twin Killerwhales and Twin Eagles. 3/150	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Box Design	1984	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 42.00 cm x 56.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printer's Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Shark	1996	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 61.00 cm x 45.50 cm x 0.00 cm	Printer's proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
A Tribute To My Grandmother	1981/07	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.40 cm x 49.50 cm x 0.00 cm	Artist proof for edition of 160	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
New Moon	1995/02/09	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 68.50 cm x 66.00 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Pookmis Comes Back	1989/07	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 58.50 cm x 56.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof 150	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Lightning Snake	1975	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 44.70 cm x 26.30 cm x 0.00 cm	59/100	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Twin Eagles	1991	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.25 cm x 51.00 cm	3/150	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Clo-Oose Vision	1978	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 57.50 cm x 72.50 cm x 0.00 cm	P/P. Ed. Of 125	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Untitled (Serpent Dancer)	1985	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 42.00 cm x 37.50 cm	Ap 1/16 (edition:100)	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Frog	1974/11	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 29.50 cm x 44.50 cm x 0.00 cm	Printer's Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Queen's Baton; Case	1994	British Columbia, Canada	Woodwork	Pewter; Wood; Plexigalss	overall: 22.30 cm x 6.50 cm x 4.00 cm	#49 of 1,994 replicas made for commonwealth games	Gift of James Griffith
Eagle and Ditidaht Salmon	1995	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 68.50 cm x 65.75 cm	43/75, set of 3 with New Moon, Thunderbird & Frog	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Killer Whale	n.d.	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 35.00 cm x 51.00 cm x 0.00 cm	44/60	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
First Fisherman	1990	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.50 cm x 51.00 cm	2/150	Gift from the Collection of George and Christiane Smyth
Cod Fish	1977	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 50.20 cm x 65.50 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Twin Wolves	1991/12/01	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 53.00 cm x 51.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers Proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard
Too-Tooch; Thunderbird	1980	Whyac, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada	Works on Paper	Serigraph	overall: 43.00 cm x 74.00 cm x 0.00 cm	Printers proof	Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Grant, Purchased from the Collection of Vincent Rickard

1 - 50 of 161

Name (English only)

Art Thompson

Brief_Bio

b. 1948 Whyac, B.C. d. 2003.

Artist Detail - v3

Artworks