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Syilx mural located in the Vernon, BC parkade. This image was part of the Vernon Art Gallery's annual event "Riot on the Roof".

ARTIST STATEMENT

Sheldon Pierre Louis, a member of the Syilx Nation, is a multi disciplinary Syilx Artist. Sheldon's ancestral roots have influenced his works in painting, drawing, carving, and sculpting. Sheldon sits on the board of directors for the Arts Council of the North Okanagan in his second term as well sits at the Board for the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives. In his political capacity he also sits at the Greater Vernon Cultural Plan Committee. His work has been published in the Arts and Council Guide for the North Okanagan 2016 and 2017 as well as many news publications. Sheldon assisted Okanagan Indian Band attaining the 2016 FPCC Youth Engaged in the Arts Award and recently was awarded the FPCC 2020 Sharing Across Generations Arts Award. Sheldon is the lead visual artist of the Kama? Creative Aboriginal Arts Collective & is a member of Ullus Collective, both groups based in Syilx Art. He is also a member of the Re-Think 150: Indigenous Truth Collective a group of indigenous and non indigenous allies working to educate society of indigenous and environmental issues. 

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Sheldon has mentored as an artist, under his Father Gerald Louis for most of his life & has also mentored under Barb Marchand, both multi disciplinary Syilx artists. Sheldon has mentored under renowned mural artist Michelle Loughery, as an youth participant in the Down Town Vernon Mural Project 2001. Growing up as a child Sheldon was always immersed in art with his Father being a constant teacher and supporter. Mentoring under Barb Marchand, a professional inter disciplinary artist/arts educator, and founding member of the Kama? Collective, Sheldon has learned how to taken on the leadership role in visual arts within in the collective as well as curation. In 2001 under the tutelage of Michelle Loughery, while participating in the Downtown Vernon Associations Mural Project, Sheldon learned the fundamentals of mural painting, perspective, and scale. While working alongside of Michelle, he had also learned of the business side of being a professional artist. His relationship as student has still carried on to today. 

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Through Ullus Collective Sheldon has exhibited his works at the “Eco tone Festival of the Arts 2014” at the Kelowna Rotary Centre for the Arts & “k'wansxixmentem i? sck'lq'aq'y'tet – Showing Our Artwork” at the Enowkin Centre in Penticton, BC. As a member of the Kama? Creative Aboriginal Arts Collective Sheldon has curated and exhibited in a number of exhibitions with the Vernon Public Art Gallery and Gallery Vertigo. Sheldon's practice has spread further through the Okanagan with the support of the Penticton Art Gallery and most recently the Kelowna Art Gallery. His works have also began reaching into the Arrows Lakes region. 


One of his most prominent works is on permanent display as a public art installation in the Kelowna General Hospital, a honour which was brought forth by Interior Health Association & Okanagan Nation Alliance. His Fine Art can also be found on the walls of University of British Columbia Okanagan, Sheldon's most prized piece of work is the “Ceremonial Mace of University of British Columbia Okanagan” which is a hand carved wood piece, that is carried in con-vocational ceremony every year at the University, this piece now sits on display through out the year at UBCO in the administrations building. Sheldon continues to spend his time creating pieces of work that convey the beauty of the Syilx Peoples history & culture. Sheldon has worked amongst the Okanagan communities as a artist for a number of years, among his accomplishments are working with the Okanagan Elders to create/carve the convocational mase for UBC Okanagan, work with Okanagan Nation Alliance and Interior Health Authority to create a perminent art installation for Kelowna General Hospital and has exhibited his art works with Enowkin Centre, Lake Country Gallery, Arts Council of the Central Okanagan, The Kelowna Rotarty Centre for the Arts, Gallery Vertigo, and Vernon Public Art Gallery. Sheldon has many pieces of work in private collections, some as far as Australia & New Zealand. As a muralist he has participated in the Nelson International Mural Festival, created pieces in the Downtown Kelowna area, Central and Southern Okanagan Schools, as well within the communities of the Okanagan Nation.

 

As a curator he has curated a number of exhibitions for Kama? Creative Aboriginal Arts Collective through the Vernon Public Art Gallery and Gallery Vertigo. Sheldon was invited to curate a exhibition in Castlegar at the Kootenay Arts Gallery and was invited back again to curate another exhibition in 2020 for the Kootaney Arts Gallery and the Oxygen Gallery in Nelson. 

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Through the 2016 FPCC Youth Engagement Award, Sheldon worked within his home community at Okanagan Indian Band, engaged and mentored 4 Okanagan Indian Band youth in the creation of a large community mural situated at the Okanagan Indian Band's Health Centre. An integral part of this mural project was returning to the land while reconnecting the Okanagan Indian Band youth with Elders from the community. The youth were also involved with engaging the communities outside of the reservation, creating a smaller public art installation as part of the Vernon Public Art Gallery's annual youth inspired art event "Riot on the Roof". As a successful candidate for the 2020 FPCC Sharing Across The Generations, Sheldon helped open the opportunity to connect with renowned traditional indigenous hand poke tattoo practitioner Dion Kaszas to create an Interior Salish cohort for the revival of the interior salish traditional tattoo practices. Under the mentorship and guidance Sheldon and two other artists where trained by Dion in the health aspects of blood borne pathogens and then in the skill and technique of safe set up and tear down of a sanitary tattoo station and then the technique of the hand poke tattooing practice.  

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 His work with Michelle Loughery has inspired and guided him to also follow a path of creating youth projects and has since created numerous youth murals throughout the Okanagan. In this capacity of mentor Sheldon shares his knowledge that was passed down to him over the years to lift up the young aspiring artists he works with. Growing up surrounded by artists Sheldon had always been supported and encouraged, some of the young indigenous artists don't at times have those support systems and this leads Sheldon to fill that space and help inspire and support how ever he can. Sheldon's passion for working with the youth has stemmed from the years when he was a youth, there was in the past a lack of mentorship for the youth so with this in mind Sheldon understood the need to use his gift to inspire and mentor the youth of the new generation. Sheldon spent much time mentoring under a number of local artists, it is through these opportunities where Sheldon has came to realize the need for youth mentorship with in his community, the Okanagan Indian Band and the Okanagan Nation. Being surrounded by artists and recieving guidance and mentorship Sheldon knows first hand the importance and effects of having the strong people in a youth's life. Over the years Sheldon has tutored, taught, and mentored youth from his own and surrounding communities, the inspiration that is developed is on both sides, the youth and the artist. Sheldon has now grown into not just an artistic leader but also a community leader.   

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