Framed Art Card - Gathering Strength (9" x 12")
Artist: Andy Everson
The reality of life is that we become increasingly tasked to deal with grief, stress and darkness. Somedays it becomes such a burden that the weight literally crushes you. Voices feel like an echo chamber and those who try to help simply become blurred apparitions. Life becomes a tunnel with little hope that the light at its end would ever grow again. You become weak.
It is on days like this that the very best prescription can be as simple as a walk on the beach. A stroll by yourself, feeling the pebbles beneath your feet and hearing the waves crash on the shore. The salt air laps at your nose until you start to get the feeling that you are really not alone. You are surrounded by divinity; a part of anything and everything around you. The weight lifts and the tunnel expands to bright white light. You are gathering strength.
On occasion, when you least expect it but need it most, the Universe has its way of giving you gifts. Sometimes it may come across as serendipity or the right person at the right time in your life. Other times it will be a reminder that you are not alone in the world: a memento from a lost loved one, a phone call out of the blue or even an eagle feather gifted to you on the beach. It is then that you realize you are gathering strength.
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About The Artist
Andy Everson
Andy Everson was born in Comox, BC in 1972 and named Na̱gedzi after his grandfather, the late Chief Andy Frank of the K’ómoks First Nation. Andy has also had the honour of being seated with the ‘Na̱mg̱is T̓sit̓sa̱ł'walag̱a̱me' name of Ḵ̓wa̱mxa̱laga̱lis I'nis. Influenced heavily by his grandmother, he has always been driven to uphold the traditions of both the K’ómoks and Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw First Nations. In this regard, Andy has pursued avenues where he can sing traditional songs and perform ceremonial dances at potlatches and in a number of different dance groups, most notably the Le-La-La Dancers, the Gwa'wina Dancers and the K’umugwe Dancers.
Pursuing other areas of traditional culture has also led Andy to complete a Master’s degree in anthropology. Because the K’ómoks First Nation lies on the border between the larger Salish and Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw realms, his thesis focused on notions and expressions of contemporary Comox identity. His work in anthropology provided him with a background in linguistics which subsequently inspired him to create a company, Copper Canoe, Inc, that specialized in the creation of Aboriginal language media.
Andy feels that his artwork stands on par with these other accomplishments. Although he began drawing Northwest Coast art at an early age, Andy's first serious attempt wasn’t until 1990 when he started designing and painting chilkat-style blankets for use in potlatch dancing. From these early self-taught lessons, he has tried to follow in the footsteps of his Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw relatives in creating bold and unique representations that remain rooted in the age-old traditions of his ancestors. The ability to create and print most of his own work has allowed Andy to explore and express his ancestral artwork in a number of contemporary ways.
