Interview: Blanketing the City IV Artist Chief Janice George
Blanketing The City is a public art mural series and Reconciliation process designed by acclaimed xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Weaver and Graphic Designer, Debra Sparrow in collaboration with Vancouver Mural Festival. Begun in 2018, the series boldly affirms the resurgence and importance of Coast Salish weaving on these lands, and directly combats the ongoing systemic suppression of Indigenous visual culture. For this project, Debra Sparrow invited master weavers Chief Janice George (Sḵwxwú7mesh) and Angela George (səlilwətaɬ) to collaborate on the design of 7 landmark murals blanketing Cathedral Square Park.
In our interview series, we reached out to each artist involved with the project to learn more about their experience and what Blanketing the City means to them. This interview features Chief Janice George, one of the three master weavers and artists of this piece. Her partner Buddy Joseph was also a key collaborator with her in this piece.
Janice is an accomplished weaver and teacher from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation. She co-founded L’hen Awtxw Weaving House to share the teachings and practice of traditional Coast Salish wool weaving. Chief Janice George graduated from Capilano University, North Vancouver BC, and the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM, USA. She is a hereditary chief, trained museum curator and educator. George also co-organized the 1st Canada Northwest Coast Weavers Gathering, with other Squamish Nation Weavers.
VMF: What is important in this collaboration for you? What does Blanketing the City mean for you?
JG: “It’s important as we have all lived in this city to identify ourselves [here], and it’s also good to understand that things happened here before contact. What it means to me is that we are all working together... it’s been a while since we’ve all worked together; and especially with matriarchs within the community to show strength, you know, I feel like that is an amazing statement to make.”
VMF: What is transforming the art of weaving into public art like?
JG: “Oh! It’s been great, I love it! [My husband and I] have been teaching going on 18 years now about the spirituality and all the teachings that go with it [and] what it means to be a weaver…what it means where the weavings and designs are. We can’t really talk to those weavers because [they’ve been] gone for a while, for generations, but we can weave the designs and colours that mean something to us, to convey our messages; so that carries on the strength.”
“We can’t really talk to those weavers because [they’ve been] gone for a while, for generations, but we can weave the designs and colours that mean something to us, to convey our messages; so that carries on the strength.””
VMF: What is the significance of having an artist from each nation coming together for this collaborative piece?
JG: “Well for me, I think it shows the strength of the nations and the willingness to work together, and our message has always been that we’ve always been here so I think that getting together to make that statement is very powerful.
VMF: What are you most excited for about this piece?
JG: “I think just being together for the unveiling, I think that’s going to be amazing. I love working with my husband, Debra, and Angela. They’re very powerful people, strong women and leaders in the community. I’ve noticed that we’re always teaching, it’s something we were born to do.”
Note: this interview was transcribed from a recorded conversation with Chief Janice George and edited for clarity and brevity.
