Atheana Picha: Echoes

Think of the materials we use day-to-day. From disposable cups and paper receipts to single-use packages and more, what we use and consume reflects who we are as individuals and as a community. Inspired by Coast Salish mountain goat horn bracelets, Echoes reminds all those who enter the building of our connection to the environment and to this territory, as well as the ways we are connected to one another. 

Mountain goat horns were used by people along the west coast in many ways, from utilitarian belongings to sacred pieces. Horns were used for tools and adornment pieces, and the wool was used in weavings. Only 22 mountain goat horn bracelets have been found, with four residing in North America.

As Picha says, “These bracelets have an elegant design that never fails to inspire me and other Salish artists. The bracelets show me that my ancestors took time for designing the utilitarian items in their lives, but also created work for the sake of making something beautiful for themselves or for a loved one. These pieces inspire me to take time to create work that can function as something that can speak to my ancestry, but also to my ancestors’ and mentors’ dedication to visual design language.” 

Learn more about the inspiration behind Echoes with an interview with the artist:

About the Artist

Atheana Picha is a multidisciplinary Coast Salish artist from Kwantlen and Tsartlip Nations who is based in Richmond, B.C. Picha studied Fine Arts at Langara College with a focused interest in ceramics, intaglio printmaking, and wood carving. She is currently undertaking two mentorships, one with Musqueam weaver Debra Sparrow, and one learning engraving and wood carving with Splash, Squamish artist Aaron Nelson-Moody. Picha is a two-time recipient of the YVR Art Foundation Scholarship (2017 & 2019) and has done murals throughout the greater Vancouver area. 

Curator: Alanna Edwards
Origin of Exhibition: Surrey Art Gallery