The #CHVCatchUp is a monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver (“CHV”). Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV. This month’s post has been written by Jason Bosher.
KC Hall Murals at Covenant House Vancouver
In the Beginning
When you walk into the Drop-In Centre at Covenant House Vancouver, you will immediately notice the inviting atmosphere created by KC Hall’s murals. But long before he was commissioned to paint those, KC had to find his light.
At two years of age, KC Hall and his family moved to Vancouver, from Bella Bella. They settled in East Vancouver, where KC eventually began school.
Throughout elementary into high school, KC’s focus was on comic book style artwork.
Around age 15, KC began dabbling in the world of graffiti. While attending Britannia Secondary School, KC met up with students who also enjoyed graffiti art. “The area that I was in had lots of graffiti in the alleyways, because it was close to East Hastings and Commercial. The alleyways were like a cool little pathway for graffiti artists to just duck in and do their do their stuff.”
For approximately six years, KC didn’t do anything to grow his artistic talents. “I was more just submerged in being a young, early twenty year old, wanting to party and do whatever.”
Struggles
KC talked about his struggles. “It was to the point where I had gone too far. I was just drinking and partying with my friends. My mom was sick of it. She wasn’t drinking. She was trying to change her life at the time, and I wasn’t making it any easier. So, she just packed up and moved back to Bella Bella, leaving me here. I was an adult by then.”
Having nowhere to go, KC reached out to his Aunt June, who worked for Covenant House Vancouver. She helped him get into the Crisis Program. KC stayed at Covenant House Vancouver for approximately a year.
KC remembers how kind the youth workers were to him and how they were always checking on him to make sure that he was doing well.
“I liked being there with my Auntie June … because she’d always come hang out and stuff. She was just like the greatest lady ever. She worked there for a long time, and she was one of the nicest ladies in the whole entire world. She did nothing but use her kindness and her light to help the kids out there. I know that a lot of kids who ended up there were on dark times before they got there.”
KC moved to the Rights of Passage program and soon after, was ready to move out on his own. “They were very accommodating and helped me out. They helped me save money during the time that I was there, and helped support me for a few years after leaving.”
Raven Creation Story by KC Hall
Shining His Light
In 2012, KC enrolled in the Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts program at Native Education College. Here he was introduced to the Northwest Coast formline. “Basically, I spent the first four-and-a-half to five years just studying formline, until I was able to do it efficiently.”
KC was already well versed in the graffiti style of art, so once he felt confident in his formline, he was able to combine the two forms to create his art on a variety of surfaces.
“After 10 years … I’m finally sitting in my studio, just doing what I want to do, because I can.”
The murals at the Drop-In Centre, not only bring warmth and comfort to the space, but the Raven story depicted is very metaphoric for many youth who come to Covenant House Vancouver. For many, it’s a new beginning—a transformative time where youth make discoveries and bring light into their lives, as they create hope-filled futures.
You can read, watch and hear more about KC’s journey, and learn more about the murals at CHV by visiting the Covenant House Vancouver website.
Help Others Shine Their Light
You can make a difference in the lives of youth, like KC. From now until June 30th, thanks to the Estate of Roman Babicki, any donation you make to Covenant House Vancouver will be matched to double your impact: Make a donation online today!
Since 1997, Covenant House Vancouver has been providing love and hope to youth experiencing homelessness. They are the premiere service provider of residential and outreach services for homeless and at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 in Vancouver. Follow Covenant House on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more info.
Tune into the Courage to Come Back Awards, catch a film festival, attend community workshops, and participate in free activities! Find events like these and more things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend listed below:
Nominations are now open for the 2022 Giving Hearts Awards! The Association of Fundraising Professionals (“AFP”) Greater Vancouver Chapter invites you to celebrate the incredible individuals, families and organizations that generously give their time, leadership, and financial support to benefit countless people and communities.
Nominations Open for the Giving Hearts Awards
Nominations close June 24, 2022
Recipients recognized November 25, 2022
The Giving Hearts Awards honour outstanding individuals, volunteers, leaders, fundraisers, philanthropists, and youth of Greater Vancouver’s non-profit and social profit community. This year, nominees and recipients will be recognized in-person at the 25th annual National Philanthropy Day luncheon and awards ceremony, presented by RBC, on November 25, 2022.
The award categories are: Spirit of Generosity (formerly Outstanding Philanthropist), Outstanding Legacy Philanthropist, Outstanding Youth Philanthropist, Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, Outstanding Professional Fundraiser, Outstanding Corporation, and Outstanding Small Business.
Past recipients have included Dr. Rudy and Mrs. Patricia North, the McCarthy Family, Odlum Brown Limited, and Mel Zajac. Last year, AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter also recognized Coast Capital Savings and the Family Services of the North Shore Christmas Bureau Volunteer Lead Group as the recipients of two exclusive Pandemic-Response.
Miss604 is a proud sponsor of the Giving Hearts Awards 2022
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents 30,000 members in over 200 chapters in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and China working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs. Follow the local chapter on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more info.
Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art presents the Canadian premiere exhibition of True to Place: stímetstexw tel xéltel starting June 15th. Curated by artist and muralist Xémontalót Carrielynn Victor (Stó:lō), True to Place: stímetstexw tel xéltel examines the artistic practice of 10 Northwest Coast Indigenous artists, whose expanding boundaries and embracing of contemporary styles and techniques are informed by personal and collective traditions of form, story, and place.
The group exhibition explores a spectrum of colour palettes – from bright neons to muted ochres – and features painting on a variety of mediums, including canvas, wood, paper, sculptural forms, traditional basketry, as well as digital creations.
Top: Carrielynn Victor by Mavreen David. Bottom artwork left to right by: Atheana Picha, Corey Bulpitt, Robert Davidson
True to Place: stímetstexw tel xéltel at the Bill Reid Gallery
When: June 15, 2022 – April 16, 2023
Where: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (639 Hornby St, Vancouver)
Thanks to the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA), there is free admission from 2:00pm to 5:00pm every first Friday of the month
“This exhibition offers a compelling perspective into the artistic process of many Indigenous painters from across the Northwest Coast,” says Victor.
“Indigenous artists have historically and persistently seized any new tools at hand as a means of expression, moving forward in their practice from a place of history, tradition, and storytelling. Through the preservation of culture and principles of traditional form, artists use these grounding elements as a springboard to take their art expression further. Through the examination of process, quality, colour, and transformation, visitors are welcomed to explore new approaches, ideas, and innovations in painting that are place-based and story-rich.”
The exhibition’s subtitle – stímetstexw tel xéltel – was chosen with assistance from artist and language keeper, Thomas Jones, in the Upriver Stahlo, Halq’emeylemqel dialect. Translated as “Keeping the pencil moving forward,” the subtitle offers an essential and complementary element to the exhibition’s theme of moving forward from a place of history and tradition.
True to Place: stímetstexw tel xéltelfeatures a striking collection of works from many emerging and established painters from across the Northwest Coast, inspired by contemporary issues, urban environments, and ancestral stories. Contributing artists include Atheana Picha, Corey Bulpitt, Crystal Worl, Eliot White-Hill, Luke Parnell, Ocean Hyland, Robert Davidson, Shawn Hunt, Steve Smith, and Thomas Jones.
A series of ancillary events will support True to Place: stímetstexw tel xéltel and deepen visitors’ understanding of the cultural meaning of painting in relationship to place and connection, including a panel discussion, artist talks, painting workshops, and exhibition tours. Public programs will be offered both in-person and online to reach audiences across the Northwest Coast and beyond.
About the Gallery
The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is a public gallery nestled in the heart of downtown Vancouver. It was named after acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid (1920–1998), a master goldsmith, carver, sculptor, writer, broadcaster, and spokesman. Since opening in May 2008, the Bill Reid Gallery has remained the only public gallery in Canada devoted to contemporary Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast, and is home to the Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Art Collection, as well as special exhibitions of contemporary Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast of North America.
It used to be Vancouver Bird Week, surrounding the World Migratory Bird Day, but there’s just so much to see, do, learn, photograph, and talk about that it’s now a two week long Vancouver Bird Celebration (May 14-31, 2022). Enjoy bird-related workshops, talks, exhibitions, and lectures across the Lower Mainland – and most events are free!
Vancouver Bird Celebration 2022
Birds are a gateway to nature, inspiring connection to and appreciation of the world around us. During May, over 250 species of birds can be seen and enjoyed throughout the Lower Mainland. Watch these feathered heroes perform super feats of strength and agility all over town. No matter your experience level – from expert bird nerd to casually curious – there is sure to be something for you to enjoy through these talks and workshops (some are free but do require registration):
This whole movement was inspired by World Migratory Bird Day, a United Nations-sponsored initiative that recognizes the importance of birds as key indicators of our environment’s health. Find a directory of local birds, resources, and more events online.
The Vancouver Bird Celebration is coordinated by the Stanley Park Ecology Society, and organized by the Vancouver Bird Advisory Committee – a collaborative partnership of non-profits, artists, and other institutions, in partnership with City of Vancouver and Vancouver Park Board – who assist cities, municipalities and organizations in Greater Vancouver to celebrate birds throughout the region.
