Made in Canada by Mary Graham Bonner

Came across this book while browsing the art section of our local library.  It's an old book, published in 1953, but I really enjoyed it.  There was a lot of history packed in the book.  It was very interesting to read about, and see pictures of, artwork of first nations people as well as settlers.  I have a bunch of notes made of things I want to research and learn more about.

I want to know more about  Sis-hu-lk, also known as Francis Baptiste, a member of the Okanagan First People's nation.  In the book I learned that he won a bronze star in 1936 from the Royal Drawing Society of London for his artwork titled "Canadian nativity".  From the 1940 page of the Drawing on Identity: Inkameep Dayschool and Art site I discovered that he also won a gold medal for his contribution to Canadian culture and that in 1940 he started signing his work with his Indian name.  You can see pictures of him and some of his other work sprinkled throughout An Inkameep Photo Album.

I'd also like to know more about Francois Baillairge, who Mary Bonner says is Canada's foremost woodcarver and sculptor.  I found an online gallery displaying some of Francois Baillairge's work.

And that's just some of the things I want to learn more about.  I am very glad that I picked up this book.  I'd love to own it.

Hooked Mats of Newfoundland and Labrador: Beauty Born of Necessity

This is the my first book for the Art History Reading Challenge.  Hooked Mats of Newfoundland and Labrador: Beauty Born of Necessity was compiled by The Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland and Labrador.  The book gives a bit of the history of mat hooking in Newfoundland and Labrador, but the bulk of the book is pictures of hooked mats, along with the stories behind the mats.  Some of the mats are quite beautiful and the book has stirred an interest in me to learn more about the craft.