Connie Watts is a mixed media artist and designer of
Nuu-chah-nulth
The Nuu-chah-nulth (; Nuučaan̓uł: ), also formerly referred to as the Nootka, Nutka, Aht, Nuuchahnulth or Tahkaht, are one of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast in Canada. The term Nuu-chah-nulth is used to describe fifte ...
Watts graduated from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Intermedia, and has her Bachelor of Interior Design from the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.
Watts enrolled in the Industrial Design program at Emily Carr, but eventually entered the Fine Arts program.
Career
* Associate Director of Aboriginal Programming at Emily Carr University of Art & Design
* Previous member of the Emily Carr Board of Governors for six years
* Curatorial Project Manager for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Committee
* Affiliated with the
British Columbia Arts Council
The British Columbia Arts Council (or BC Arts Council) is a statutory independent agency supporting arts in British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific O ...
Vancouver Foundation
The Vancouver Foundation is an organization based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It administers over 1,600 funds and assets totalling $930 million, on behalf of individuals, families, corporations and charities.
History
Vancouver Foundation wa ...
Connie Watts' work draws from the aesthetic traditions of Northwest Coast Indigenous cultures, and incorporate modern fabrication and design techniques.
Selected works
Vereinigung
''Vereinigung'' is a monumental sculpture now permanently exhibited in the lobby of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. It was previously exhibited for two years at the Museum of Anthropology. The sculpture depicts three animal figures that reflect and inform the artist's spirit: the wolf as hunter, the bear as protector, and the raven as trickster. The three animals together speak to the harmony of all life.
Hetux
''Hetux'' is Watts’ largest indoor sculptural work, located at the
Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is located from Downtown Vancouver. It is the second busiest ...
. The sculpture is named after Watts' grandmother and represents the thunderbird, which is known as the keeper of the city. It is made from powder-coated aluminum and stained baltic birch. The thunderbird is adorned with images of animals and celestial bodies that represent intensity, determination, joy and prosperity.
Strength from Within
''Strength from Within'' is an art installation located in Port Alberni, British Columbia that commemorates survivors of and those whose people died at the Alberni Indian Residential School. The installation depicts two thunderbirds, adorned with West Coast designs, and a third without any cultural symbols to represent the horrors of the residential school era.