Just Everyone Loves That Totem Pole ...

Prestoungrange Totem Attracts More Gongoozlers than Any Other Mural in Town

August 18th 2006 saw the unveiling of the Prestoungrange Totem to say Thank You to Chemainus [using its earliest art form] for the very idea of painting murals on our walls to help the town's socioeconomic regeneration. Karl Schutz who started it all was there and so were all the members of the Global Association Conference. Since then thousands of passers by have stopped to stare and ponder the images so beautifully carved that tell the history of the town over 1000 years.

Now there's a new trend. Artists on canvas and embroiderers have started taking the image into their media. No songs yet or plays or dance or ceramics about the totem tale but surely there will be. And perhaps a photography competition.

The first two are shown below. June Hopkin's embroidery of the pole has attached to it a precis of the pole's origins. Secondly, the 2006/ 2007 Burriss Bursary Winner Pat Fox has painted the pole on canvas and donated it to the Arts Festival.

click on images to enlarge