Uploaded January 2016 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Emily Carr University of Art + Design, the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, the University of British Columbia-Centre for Advanced Wood Processing and FP Innovations are working together to promote the artistry and design of traditional Northwest Coast art through a unique educational program that will deliver hand-carved western red and yellow cedar doors. We aim to celebrate the story-telling nature of traditional BC Aboriginal art while also promoting coastal communities and their unique talents.
Carving instructor Xwalacktun mentored 5 participants at the Aboriginal Gathering Place at theEmily Carr University of Art + Design.
James Harry: Coast Salish & Kwakwaka’wakw;
Edwin Neel: Kwagu’ł & Ahousaht
William Callaghan: Tlingit
Lyle Mack: Nuxalk
Chazz Mack: Nuxalk
Carving instructor Ken McNeil, mentored 5 participants at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art.
Arlene Ness
Lathan Mack
Jared Kane
Stan Bevan
Dean Heron
Invited qualified Aboriginal artists from B.C. communities applied for this unique educational program that provided participants with free training/mentorship with an advanced carver. The participants own the completed cedar door panels and retain complete intellectual property on their designs. In return, they agree to have their completed panels displayed at selected venues and exhibited at the Yaletown Roundhouse in October 2015.
From our established partnership with a door manufacturer, and with the consent of the artists, selected doors may become part of a high-end line offered by the door company, including limited edition reproduction doors produced digitally with a CNC machine. We believe that the final doors will provide a creative product that is unique in design and attract consumers that appeal to a story.
There was an exhibition of the door panels titled “Opening Doors” in October 2015 at the Yaletown Roundhouse. The exhibition included a panel presentation and a gala opening event on October 6th, 2015.
For more information about the Opening Doors Project please visit aboriginal.ecuad.ca/%EF%BB%BFdoor-panel-project-at-the-agp and aboriginal.ecuad.ca/opening-doors-exhibition
Emily Carr University of Art + Design, the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, the University of British Columbia-Centre for Advanced Wood Processing and FP Innovations are working together to promote the artistry and design of traditional Northwest Coast art through a unique educational program that will deliver hand-carved western red and yellow cedar doors. We aim to celebrate the story-telling nature of traditional BC Aboriginal art while also promoting coastal communities and their unique talents.
Carving instructor Xwalacktun mentored 5 participants at the Aboriginal Gathering Place at theEmily Carr University of Art + Design.
James Harry: Coast Salish & Kwakwaka’wakw;
Edwin Neel: Kwagu’ł & Ahousaht
William Callaghan: Tlingit
Lyle Mack: Nuxalk
Chazz Mack: Nuxalk
Carving instructor Ken McNeil, mentored 5 participants at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art.
Arlene Ness
Lathan Mack
Jared Kane
Stan Bevan
Dean Heron
Invited qualified Aboriginal artists from B.C. communities applied for this unique educational program that provided participants with free training/mentorship with an advanced carver. The participants own the completed cedar door panels and retain complete intellectual property on their designs. In return, they agree to have their completed panels displayed at selected venues and exhibited at the Yaletown Roundhouse in October 2015.
From our established partnership with a door manufacturer, and with the consent of the artists, selected doors may become part of a high-end line offered by the door company, including limited edition reproduction doors produced digitally with a CNC machine. We believe that the final doors will provide a creative product that is unique in design and attract consumers that appeal to a story.
There was an exhibition of the door panels titled “Opening Doors” in October 2015 at the Yaletown Roundhouse. The exhibition included a panel presentation and a gala opening event on October 6th, 2015.
For more information about the Opening Doors Project please visit aboriginal.ecuad.ca/%EF%BB%BFdoor-panel-project-at-the-agp and aboriginal.ecuad.ca/opening-doors-exhibition
![Alumni Stories | Pat Christie
Alumnus Pat Christie is the 2017 Emily Award Recipient. The annual Emily Award Program recognizes the outstanding achievements by members of the alumni community whose creative pursuits in the arts, media and design have brought honour to the University.
Industrial designer, entrepreneur, and social innovator, Pat Christie believes that imagination and play are fundamental to a healthy process of creation and problem-solving. After graduating from Emily Carr University in 2011, he founded DalyCo., a business established around thoughtful human-centred design with a focus on regional wood products and development. In 2013, he co-founded Yew Woodshop with fellow alumni, to share equipment, space and knowledge resources. SPACE soon followed, a creative hub and showroom where designers sell products through a low margin model and participate in hosted activities that encourage the development and exposure of new products and ideas.
Christies activities have focused on increasing the connectivity between the academic and professional realms, spearheading multiple initiatives to create links between organizations and individuals from disparate fields. Together, his entrepreneurial ventures form a living prototype of the innovative, collaborative, values-based working group that the local design and manufacturing community can bring together.
Find out more about Pat at his website at dalycompany.ca/?mc_cid=c5411c1bc3&mc_eid=[UNIQID]
Film Credits:
Videography: Sebnem Ozpeta, Zoe Kirk-Gushowaty, Adiba Muzaffar, Sepideh Yadegar
Editing: Sebnem Ozpeta
This video was produced by Emily Carr University Production Services. Alumni Stories | Pat Christie](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Mbr5RJmW3kw/mqdefault.jpg)









