Art Projects & Workshops
Since 2012, we have had the honour of sharing Coast Salish knowledge, creativity, and cultural teachings through a diverse range of community art projects and hands-on workshops. This page showcases the projects, collaborations, and learning opportunities we have delivered over the years, reflecting our ongoing commitment to cultural revitalization, artistic excellence, and community connection.
Cedar Weaving Workshop
A hands-on Cedar Weaving Workshop taught traditional Coast Salish weaving techniques while creating a cedar hat or cedar basket. Participants were guided through the preparation and handling of cedar bark and introduced to foundational weaving methods, including twill weaving and both two-strand and three-strand twining techniques. This workshop offered an opportunity to connect with cultural teachings, develop practical weaving skills, and create a beautiful handcrafted piece rooted in tradition.
Beading Workshop
This Coast Salish Beading Workshop introduced participants to the cultural significance of beadwork while exploring the deep connection between Indigenous peoples, the land, and the natural world. Beading is more than an artistic practice—it is a way of preserving stories, expressing identity, and strengthening relationships with culture, family, and community.
Drum Making Workshop
The Coast Salish Drum Making Workshop offers participants the opportunity to create their own hand drum while learning about the cultural, spiritual, and artistic significance of the drum in Indigenous traditions. More than a musical instrument, the drum is a symbol of connection—to the heartbeat of the Earth, to our ancestors, to community, and to one another.
Fishing Through Memory: Documenting The History of Coast Salish Fishing
This short film shares the powerful memories of a Coast Salish Elder reflecting on her family’s fishing traditions during the 1940s. Through personal storytelling, she recounts a time when fishing was not simply a means of gathering food, but a way of life deeply connected to family, culture, identity, and the seasonal rhythms of the Salish Sea.
She also speaks about the profound changes brought by the Department of Fisheries during the mid-20th century. Through increasing regulations, licensing systems, and restrictions on access to traditional fishing locations, Indigenous families found themselves excluded from places they had harvested for generations. These policies disrupted cultural practices, limited opportunities to pass on traditional knowledge, and altered longstanding relationships with ancestral waters.
Youth and Elder Printmaking Project
The Youth and Elder Printmaking Project brought together young people and Coast Salish Elders in a collaborative learning environment that celebrated art, culture, and intergenerational knowledge sharing. Throughout the project, youth explored the history and techniques of printmaking, researching a variety of traditional and contemporary methods while developing their artistic skills through hands-on practice.
Youth Digital Art & Design Project
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting youth creativity, cultural connection, and digital skills development, this art project invited youth to explore the intersection of traditional teachings, nature, photography, and modern design technology.
Youth were guided through the process of researching and learning different digital design platforms, developing technical skills, and exploring how technology can be used as a tool for storytelling and artistic expression. Participants learned how to use software programs such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, and design and printing platforms such as Vistaprint to transform their ideas and original photography into a series of art cards.
A Book About Weaving
We are happy to share this e-book and downloadable PDF created by elders and youth. This book focuses on gathering raw local materials, how to process cedar bark and different weaving techniques.
How to Make a Cedar Rose
We are happy to share the instructions to make a cedar rose. This self-guided project introduces participants to the art of transforming sustainably harvested cedar bark into a timeless floral design using simple folding and weaving techniques.
Suitable for beginners and experienced weavers the cedar rose project encourages patience, creativity, and a deeper appreciation for one of our most important weaving materials on the Northwest Coast. As you work with the cedar, you are invited to reflect on its role as a gift from the land—providing materials for clothing, shelter, baskets, hats, regalia, and works of art for countless generations.
Youth Art Journaling Project
The Youth Art Journaling Project provided a creative space for youth to explore identity, document experiences, and strengthen a connection to culture, community, and the natural world. Through a combination of research, artistic exploration, and personal reflection, participants developed individualized art journals.
Throughout the project, youth engage in a variety of research methods, including interviews with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, visits to culturally significant places, nature walks, historical research, and the exploration of Coast Salish art, language, and traditions.
The journaling process also supports health and wellness by creating opportunities for mindfulness, emotional expression, and self-discovery.
Youth Photography Project
Our Youth Photography Project empowers young people to develop photography skills while exploring their creativity, culture, and community through the lens of a camera. Participants learn the fundamentals of photography, including composition, lighting, storytelling, and respectful documentation, while gaining hands-on experience capturing original images. Most of the photos that we use on our website are from youth involved in our organization. Also see additional photos below.
Films
Indigenous artists share important teachings in these short films.
The Salish Art of Cedar Video 1 : Preparation
Four Salish Winds Society 