BC Ferries and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council are excited to announce Maynard Johnny Jr. as the Coast Salish artist selected to design artwork for the new Salish Class vessel, the Salish Heron.
FPCC has been honoured to support the artist selection process for the four Salish Class vessels and that have been named to honour the Indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea. FPCC received 36 expressions of interest that were reviewed by an external peer review committee of Indigenous experts and BC ferries representatives.
Mr. Johnny is Coast Salish from Penelakut on his father’s side and is connected to Cape Mudge Kwakwaka’wakw on his mother’s side. For 27 years he has focused his art practice on Coast Salish style. He was selected for his dedication to Coast Salish artistic style, and his ability to express the vessel name through artwork and apply it to the vessel.
“I’m proud to be part of the Coast Salish Renaissance and to perpetuate the Salish style with colour and design on a BC Ferries vessel,” said Maynard Johnny Jr. “To share my vibrant style and colour on the Salish Heron vessel with the surrounding areas of the Salish Sea and visitors from around the world is an honour for me.”
This is the fourth vessel in this class and FPCC has been honoured to facilitate the call for submissions and peer review committee that selected the first three artists Darlene Gait from Esquimalt Nation to design the artwork for the Salish Orca, John Marston from the Stz’uminus First Nation designed the artwork for the Salish Eagle, and the Salish Raven is adorned with a design by Thomas Cannell from Musqueam.
Read the full news release withmedia images here.