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 Andy Everson
I was born in Comox B.C. in 1972 and named Nagedzi after my grandfather, Chief Andy Frank. My cultural interests lay with both my Comox and Kwakwaka'wakw ancestries and are expressed through dancing, singing, and even the pursuit of a Master's degree in anthropology. I feel that my artwork stands on par with these other accomplishments. Although I began drawing Northwest Coast art at an early age, my first serious attempt wasn't until 1990 when I started designing and painting chilkat-style blankets for use in potlatch dancing. From these early self-taught lessons I have tried to follow in the footsteps of my Kwakiutl relatives in creating bold and unique representations that remain rooted in the age-old traditions of my ancestors. Although my grandfather passed away before I was born, I feel that he leads me by example. In Continuity, the older hamatsa dancer is the leader, teaching the younger one not only to dance but how to respect and follow our traditions. It is this continuity, this continual cycle, that pushes me to paint, to write, and to learn. As "Continuity" is only my second print, I see myself as the younger hamatsa dancer. I dance in front of the Bighouse which is crowned with representations of one of my family crests - the eagle. The Big house is truly where one comes from. The house in this print symbolically represents my family's house on the reserve in Comox. The circle that surrounds the body of the print is based on the designs forming the outer ring on dance screens. I chose this to embody the feeling of an uninterrupted flow of ideas. Our culture is not dead. We still learn from our elders and we still dance.
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