A new display of artwork from the Yukon Permanent Art Collection has been installed in the Legislative Assembly Chamber for the 2025 Spring Sitting.
The following is a list of artwork in counterclockwise order from the south side of the Chamber, with background info about the artists:
Directions by Brian Walker (2009) – Copper, abalone and opercula shell
Born in Montreal, Brian Walker moved to Canada’s west coast where he mentored under famed carver Bill Reid, immersing himself in Northwest Coast carving traditions and igniting a lifelong passion for First Nations art and culture. Directions is a copper vessel that explores themes of human contemplation, looking out at the world in all directions to help guide decision-making. The repoussé bowl features beautiful inlays of abalone and opercula shell.
Frog/Beaver Mask by Keith Wolfe Smarch (1996) – Acrylic paint on birch
Keith Wolfe Smarch is a master carver specializing in the Tlingit style, creating totem poles, masks, regalia, and ceremonial objects. After studying under Dempsey Bob and Freda Diesing in British Columbia, he has played a key role in revitalizing Tlingit art in the Yukon. Committed to teaching, he mentors youth, leads cultural projects, and shares his craft with visitors at the Carcross carving shed.
Beaver Spear by Ed Smarch (2023) – Copper, brass chain, metal ring
Ed Smarch is a renowned Tlingit artist and carver from Teslin whose work preserves and revives his people’s cultural heritage. Smarch created this traditional beaver spear crafted from cut and filed copper with sharpened barbs. Historically used for hunting, these spears evolved from bone to copper, with long sinew-wrapped handles ensuring a secure catch.
So much for that by Meg Walker (2021) – Oil on canvas
Meg Walker is an interdisciplinary visual artist and writer from Dawson City with a focus on painting as her primary visual passion. Walker describes this work as a comment on capitalism, expansionism and resource exploitation as it relates to the climate crisis.
In Honour of Old Horses by Shiela Alexandrovich (2022) – Wire, cotton, linen, silk, threads, wool
Shiela Alexandrovich is a multidisciplinary artist from Whitehorse who has spent a lifetime closely connected with animals learning from their communication, body language, and sense of balance. In Honour of Old Horses is a tribute to the many animals that have shaped the artist’s life, expressing gratitude for their presence, lessons, and gifts.
Ches Kea by Fred Edzerza (2010) – Sheep horn, wood, stone
Fred Edzerza is a Tahltan artist who has been carving since 1980. “Ches Kea” means raven in Tahltan. Carved of sheep horn, the raven sits atop a stick to symbolize that it is intended for a speaker’s staff and the mouth is open to represent speaking. The growth rings of the horn were purposely left visible out of respect for the ram.
Bracelet (1997) and Untitled (ca. 2001) by Mark Preston – silver
Mark Preston was a multidisciplinary artist who studied silver carving under Phil Janzé and later learned wood carving with Eugene Alfred. His contemporary work blends Northwest Coast formline with minimalism, using precise cutouts to transform traditional shapes into negative space. His all-white aesthetic symbolizes clarity and open-mindedness, and many of his pieces remain untitled to encourage personal interpretation. Influenced by a wide range of artists like Michelangelo, Picasso, and Bill Reid, Preston's work reflects his pursuit of harmony, understanding, and inner peace.