Continuing the Ceremony: Chief Dr. Janice George and Students
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, August 29, 6-8 p.m.
About the Exhibition
Guest curated by: Chief Dr. Janice George
Since the age of 18, Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Dr. Janice George has devoted herself to interviewing, recording, and learning from Squamish Nation Elders, work she considers her most cherished form of education. She emphasizes that weaving is not merely a technical skill, but a deeply cultural practice where history, philosophy, and tradition are interwoven. For Chief Dr. Janice George, this knowledge forms a foundation for both self-care and community care. She describes weaving as an act of intention, where love and energy are woven into each piece, strengthening the environment and the relationships around it. In connecting with the ancestors of the past, one also weaves a connection to future generations.
“Teaching has been our way of contributing to the community and honouring our mentors and ancestors. I, along with my husband, have been teaching for a little over 20 years. It’s been a privilege to be able to bring this honourable and highest art back to many nations and tribes, making sure it is sustainable. It makes me so happy and proud to see our people making and wearing our beloved robes, headbands and ceremonial weavings.”
“My life’s work has been in culture with Squamish Nation, as well as post-secondary education in Museum Studies and Art. I consider teachings and history from my Elders and ancestors of the highest importance. My belief is the success of one Indigenous person benefits all Indigenous peoples.”
— Chief Dr. Janice George
About the Artists
Chief Dr. Janice George is from a prominent Squamish family and has numerous ceremonial and cultural responsibilities within her community. She graduated from Capilano University and the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is a hereditary chief, a trained museum curator and educator, and co-curator and co-designer of the Squamish and Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, BC., and the new Vancouver Art Gallery. Chief Dr. Janice George received the Squamish Nation Excellence Award for CULTURE and the national Dreamcatcher Award in 2010, for her outstanding contributions to the community in arts and culture. Since the age of 18, her formal and informal job has been to interview, record, and learn from the Squamish Nation Elders, her most honoured teachings. Chief Dr. Janice George received her Honorary Doctorate from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in 2025 for her dedication to sharing Coast Salish weaving and culture with her community and the world.
Siyaltenaat—Joy Joseph-McCullough is an artist, educator, and leader from the Squamish Nation. Since beginning her weaving journey in 2005 under the guidance of Chief Dr. Janice George and Willard Joseph, Joseph-McCullough has dedicated herself to revitalizing Coast Salish weaving within her community. As the Associate Education Director at the Squamish Nation, she brings a deeply traditional and spiritual approach to her work. More than a craft, weaving is a spiritual practice—one that often incorporates prayers throughout the process, connecting each woven piece to ancestral knowledge and cultural continuity.
Xwemilut—Lisa Lewis is a Salish weaver and author of First Nations children’s books. Trained under Chief Dr. Janice George and Willard Joseph, Lewis carries forward the rich traditions of Coast Salish weaving through both her artistic and literary practices. Her woven works, particularly regalia, stand as tributes to her ancestors and those who wear her pieces with pride. Lewis’s weavings have been featured in the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa, the Polygon Gallery, and the Lil’wat Cultural Centre.
Sam Seward is a proud member of both the Snuneymuxw and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nations. Deeply rooted in culture and language, Seward has studied the Hən̓q̓emin̓əm language with guidance from Tsleil-Waututh relatives and is currently apprenticing in the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Snichim (Squamish language) mentorship program. Since beginning his weaving journey in 2015 under the guidance of Chief Dr. Janice George and Willard Joseph, Seward has embraced weaving as a living expression of cultural identity. His works have been exhibited on Granville Island. He has shared his knowledge through workshops and talks at the Burnaby Village Museum, in Radebeul, Germany, and with the Coquitlam School District.
Dana Thomas is an artist, educator, and Salish weaver of Squamish and Apsaalooke (Crow) descent. She is based in North Vancouver, on the village site of Eslha7an within Squamish Nation territory. With ten years of experience as an Indigenous Support Worker for the North Vancouver School District, she now serves as a Youth Engagement Worker at Capilano Little Ones School in West Vancouver. A student of Chief Dr. Janice George, Thomas creates commissioned ceremonial pieces and teaches weaving throughout the Lower Mainland.