2010

Brandon has been a professional artist since he was 15 years and was recognized as an artistic prodigy at the age of 12. He was recognized for his contributions of Indigenous Arts by the Governor-General when he was 20.

Brandon was educated at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Cultural Anthropology and visual arts, and went on to receive his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.

He currently practices his art through an increasing amount of different types of media including painting, graphic design, metal sculpture, lighting design, photography, and will be returning to school for his second Bachelor’s degree, this time he will be studying Motion Picture Arts studying at Capilano University in the fall of 2015.

Brandon has exhibited in the United States, Hong Kong, England, Scotland, South America, and across Canada.

The natural world has long been Gary Haggquist’s wellspring of inspiration. Memories of exploring the forests of his youth can still flood his senses with the sounds and smells of those wild places on the edge of suburbia. Like many of us however, traveling down the intersecting avenues and returning to the comfort of my home every night, the wild remained very much “other worldly.” A longing for a deeper connection with nature later took him, through job experiences and personal trips, to many remote areas of B.C. and Manitoba. These years after art school were ones of soul searching and of gathering experience along the path to finding his voice as an artist.

David Hancock has spent most of his life studying west coast and arctic wildlife. He has published scientific and popular books and papers on whales, seals, seabirds, grouse and his specialty, the northern raptors. Prior to starting Hancock House Publishers he was a pilot and wildlife film producer — again specializing in the native cultures and wildlife of the coast and north. He recently completed a book on eagles, The Bald Eagle of Alaska, BC and Washington and another book on the northwest coast Indians, Tlingit: Their Art and Culture. As well, he has a book on the Alaska-Yukon wildflowers nearing press. Currently he is undertaking studies of the bald eagles along the northwest coast and working on a sandhill crane breeding project. See www.hancockwildlife.org

Eddie Gardner (T’it’elem Spath), born March 3, 1946 in Hope, BC is a member of the Skwah First Nation. He graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in the Social Sciences. Eddie worked for a variety of federal, provincial, First Nations and private sector employers in designing, coordinating, directing and delivering a broad range of programs and services from an Aboriginal world view.

Eddie is currently an Elder-in-Residence with the University of the Fraser Valley. Eddie conducts sweat lodge ceremonies, medicine wheel workshops, and provides Indigenous students with encouragement, guidance and support to achieve academic excellence. Eddie does lectures and presentations to classes on a variety of topics from an Indigenous perspective.

Eddie is devoted to working with First Nations authorities, Salmon Are Sacred, environmental groups, scientists to protect and restore wild salmon. Eddie believes an essential first step for restoring wild salmon is to remove open net feedlots from their migration routes due to deadly, mutating viruses and diseases stemming from those feedlots that could bring wild salmon to extinction.

Aurash understands that the shape of our planet is within the hands of the species with the most impact: humans. He is critical on the lifestyle of our species and how our industrial and household practices can alter the future of this world. Achieving a BSc. in Biology from The University of British Columbia, Aurash is a proponent of sustainability on all levels and he believes that the individual decisions each human takes, collectively has significant consequences on our species-level carbon footprint. Aurash believes that educating the public on environmentally-oriented issues is essential in order to become a “greener” species. By writing for the Footprint Press, Aurash aims to educate people on how commercial industrial practices (like salmon farming) can harm the environment and that by gaining this knowledge, each individual will consider taking more sustainable actions.

Chrissy believes in the combination of creativity and nature as both elements have this wonderful way of transforming into something sensational and fantastic. Plants and animals alike, have been her inspiration and motivation to draw and paint as every given opportunity is a chance for her to submerge herself into better understanding their form, behaviour, and significance. Each drawing presents the possibility to go beyond what she sees and knows, but to become personally connected through empathy.

Her enthusiasm for art making and passion towards the preservation of nature, exceeds the paintbrush and pencil as she dreams of an earth where plants, animals and humans live in a harmonious understanding. Art is the perfect instrument to express that dream.

She has been a student of art for a good portion of her life; she began to draw as a child growing up in Ontario. “Moving to British Columbia, two and half years ago was my calling to expand my knowledge and love of art through University education. As a tree-hugger, vegan, avid hiker and nature enthusiast, British Columbia’s backdrop of majestic mountains and lush vegetation has been and will continue to be my true calling.”

Lynn Perrin, of Abbotsford, has a Master’s degree in Public Policy, and has also studied Economics, Political Analysis, Policy Analysis, Quantitative Research Methods, Program Evaluation, Health Policy, First Nations Policy, and Strategic Planning. She conducted a major research project on policies to promote the security and development of Farmers’ Markets in BC, and ran a small farm in which she raised free-range pork, beef and poultry from 1978-1991. Currently employed as a legal researcher specializing in Freedom of Information, strategic planning, outreach and advocacy for a small forest company, Lynn is also very active in the community. She opposed the SE2 proposal, has been a member of the Southern Gulf Islands Board of Variance – a tribunal to hear appeals to municipal by-laws, Co-chaired the BC NDP Standing Committee on Agriculture from 2003-2005, was the Director of the Abbotsford Arts Council from 2003-4, volunteered for the Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-operative from 2003-5, and volunteered for the Abbotsford Farm and Country Market community input committee. Lynn is presently the official Abbotsford spokesperson for the Abbotsford-Mission Waterwatch group which ran a successful campaign against the Stave Lake P3 proposal, and is a member of the PIPE Up network. See Lynn’s blog, west-creek-awareness.ca

 

 

 

Megan Sjogren is a local artist in the Lower Mainland. She is current pursuing her bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of the Fraser Valley. Along with her passion for Arts, she has a strong passion for animals and our environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ken Macquisten is a practicing companion animal veterinarian in Abbotsford.  He is also a wildlife veterinarian, former Zoo Director, a founder of the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife and the Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge, lead veterinarian for the Northern Spotted Owl breeding project, and is a Recovery Team Member of the highly endangered Oregon Spotted Frog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike is recently married and has lived in Mission for the last four years. He is a proud parent of two adult children. He has worked as a social worker for the last 25 years and for the last 9 years in the role as a collaborative practices facilitator with the Ministry for Children and Family Development. He is also a BCGEU Shop Steward in Local 604. He is community minded and has a track record of being community involved. He is Chair of the Board for the Wilderness Committee, a member of the Blue Mountain Kanaka Creek Conservation Group and has also been active in the Pitt Polder Preservation Society based in Maple Ridge. He has acted as a strong advocate for protection of our Agricultural Land Reserve. He has been very active in the Green Party both federally and provincially and is an active member of CAUSS.