A new display of artwork from the Yukon Permanent Art Collection has been installed in the Legislative Assembly Chamber for the 2026 Fall Sitting.
The following is a list of artwork in counterclockwise order from the south side of the Chamber, with background info about the artists
Delight by Lara Melnik (2004) – Polymer clay
Lara Melnik is a primarily self-taught artist working with polymer clay in her one-room cabin studio outside of Whitehorse. She has been making unique clay creations for many years, using the Italian technique of millefiori canework. Each cane is built from layers of clay, then stretched to create intricate detail. Delight is an assemblage of millefiori canes forming a joyful "quilt", which was then sanded and polished.
Eagle Warrior Helmet by Eugene Alfred (2003) – Birch and acrylic
Eugene Alfred is a Northern Tutchone and Tlingit carver from the Crow Clan of the Selkirk First Nation. He references both sides of his heritage in his work making Tlingit-style masks, bowls, rattles, and panels, and sculptures that depict Northern Tutchone stories. Eagle Warrior Helmet showcases Eugene’s remarkable skill with innovative design and the perfection of the finishing in his work.
Knife Sheath by Betty Lucas (2003) – Home tanned moose hide, lace, rawhide, copper wire
Betty Lucas is a Northern Tutchone Elder and Wolf Clan member of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun. She has spent her life dedicated to connecting with the land. Betty is a language holder, teacher, and fluent speaker of the Mayo dialect of Northern Tutchone. She raised her children and grandchildren at the home she and her husband built at No Gold Creek and is widely recognized for her commitment to working with youth, teaching them traditional skills.
Arrival of the Dog Team by Diane Olsen (2017) – Velveteen and melton material, canvas, satin ribbon, wool yarn, gold-tone bells, embroidery floss, seed beads
Diane Olsen is a Northern Tutchone, Gwich’in and Han Hwëch’in descendent born in Mayo, now living in Whitehorse. She is driven by her passion to create beautiful pieces that celebrate the north and are inspired by her mother and late grandmother. She creates works of art using beads, porcupine quills and moose hair. This dog blanket is one of a set of 10 worn by a ceremonial dog team at the 2017 Yukon Quest. The project was inspired by the tradition of dog teams dressed in decorated blankets with bells to announce their arrival in communities.
Galaxy Sunrise by Faye Cable (1985) – Stoneware and glaze
Faye Cable is a ceramic artist living in Whitehorse. Mainly self-taught, she creates works inspired by her natural surroundings, often using photographs she takes during time outdoors as a reference. Galaxy Sunrise represents a sunrise on Grey Mountain and the Yukon River, with gold glazes to signify the sun and the history of gold mining in the Yukon. Faye has artwork in the Yukon Permanent Art Collection and the Andrew Philpsen Law Centre Art Collection.