Terrace, BC -- Coast Mountain College is proud to announce that the 2025 President's Choice Award goes to Elijah Morberg with his piece Raven - Tsesk'iye. The 2025 Honrouable Mention goes to Kashka Clellamin for The Balance Between. Elijah and Kashka's pieces will be on exhibit, along with works by fellow Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art 1st and 2nd year students, at the Terrace Art Gallery until the end of February. The gallery is open from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
An opening reception for the exhibition is planned for Thursday, February 6 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the gallery. Everyone is welcome, and many of the artists will be in attendance. Admission for the reception is by donation.
Presidents Choice Award Winner - $2,500 Prize
Elijah Morberg (First Year Student)
Title of Work: Raven - Tsesk'iye
Tahltan/Tlingit emerging artist from Whitehorse, Yukon
BIOGRAPHY:
Elijah Morberg is Tahltan/Tlingit artist of the “Tsesk’iye” - Crow Clan. He was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon. From a young age he was always drawing and grew up around the Northwest Coast Art form. Eventually he picked it up and started practicing and carving alongside his father, Calvin Morberg, and fellow carvers. He began by drawing traditional form-line design and eventually began on carving and painting mini-paddles for friends and family. He helped paint a mural on a public building in down town Whitehorse. He also helped carve a dugout canoe as an apprentice under lead artist Colin Teramura. He is currently in the first year of the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art in Terrace, British Columbia. He plans to continue to pursue and study the art form keeping his culture alive and eventually passing it on down to the next generations.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
The Raven is the traditional animal in most creation stories among the Indigenous Nations across the Northwest Coast. The Raven is also one of the main crests of the Tahltan/Tlingit heritage. The Raven in my culture is praised as the bringer of light and life.
Honourable Mention - $1,500 Prize
Kashka Clellamin (First Year Student)
Title of Work: The Balance Between
Nuxalk emerging artist from Bella Coola, British Columbia
BIOGRAPHY:
Nts lhla Kashka Clellamintuminits. Wic Ximximana was skwatstats ts. Tic ti nan ti ti kw’alhtntats tc. Tcamatlhhts alh stuic ala Nuxalktum was anuxum ts. Nu7usqnamktinits c ats, pustuminits tuu. (My name is Kashka Clellamin. My Nuxalk name is Ximximana, and my family crest is the grizzly bear. I come from the village of stuic in Bella Coola in which I was born and raised.)
My journey in art began when I was 11 years old, when I found interest in form line art and traditional Nuxalk art. In these I have continued learning and progressing my abilities. My growth started quickly during my time in Acwsalcta School, where I began learning from one of my mentors, Lyle Mack, who is also an alumni of Freda Diesing. This year will mark 8 years of practising our form-line art and learning new skills.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Having a strong connection to the water and the moon brought out the vision for this piece, along with the deep blue of the moon to incorporate one of the colors representing Nuxalk, as we use the cobalt blue in many different ways. I subconsciously add some sort of water to a lot of my artwork, this one being the abalone and the mother of pearl. In this pattern there are circles, and squares. These represent the balance between the dark side and the light side of the moon, along with the spiritual realm and the physical.
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Media Contact
Heather Bastin
Executive Director, External Relations
hbastin@coastmountaincollege.ca
250-635-6511 ext. 5494