Featured Artists
Temoseng
Temoseng, Chazz Elliott/Charles Elliott Jr., was born to the W̱SÁNEĆ and lək’wəŋən Nations. He was raised in W̱JOȽEȽP Tsartlip and still resides there.
Surrounded by family and culture, Temoseng began learning the ways of Coast Salish art and W̱SÁNEĆ teachings at a very early age. Temoseng attributes his desire to practice Coast Salish art to his father TEMOSEṈŦET Charles Elliott Sr. and his mother Myrna Crossley-Elliott, a Salish blanket weaver.
Temoseng intertwines the knowledge of his ancestors and teachings of both his mother and father into his work. His art practice focuses on capturing the history, stories, legends, myths and knowledge of his peoples. His work can be found in private collections internationally, and public works locally to B.C. and also online on his instagram ~ @temoseng
Coffee Art
Temoseng imagined and created each of our coffee blend logos. After careful consideration and reflection, Temoseng crafted each design to specifically reflect the feelings and energy of each coffee. Each has it’s own story!
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Express Yourself
“The hummingbird design is a symbol for those who strive to express themselves through their art. The hummingbird can fly any direction it feels is necessary to achieve its goal, as does the artist creating their own path towards their goals.”
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Canoe Connections
“The canoe is symbolic of our water way of life as Salish People. Many different types of our canoes are still commonly used in our culture. The Salish war canoes, today they are raced competitively among our Salish Communities. Our sea going journey canoes are still very active throughout the travelling seasons, visiting our relatives up and down the coast on them.”
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Land Back
"The mountain entails the face of Mother Earth with a raven at each side of her. The ravens are the messengers carrying the message throughout the lands. The plant is symbolic of new growth, with opening hands as the flower representing a time to opening yourself up.”
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Big House
“Our cultural grounds - the fire is symbolic of our community gatherings, often there is knowledge, songs, prayers, dance, and stories the people share around the fire. The fire keeps the people warm, and teachings of love and respect are born out the fire.”
Original floral beadwork design by Gregory Scofield with art digitization by Kaija Heitland
Gregory Scofield
Gregory Scofield is of Red River Métis descent whose ancestry can be traced to the historic Métis community of Kinosota-Reedy Creek, Manitoba. He has taught Creative Writing and First Nations and Metis Literature at Brandon University, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, and the Alberta University of the Arts. He currently holds the position of Professor in the Department of Writing at the University of Victoria. Scofield won the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize in 1994 for his debut collection, The Gathering: Stones for the Medicine Wheel, and has since published seven further volumes of poetry including, Witness, I am.
In 2016, he won the Writers Trust Latner Poetry Prize for a remarkable body of work. Furthermore, in 2021 he was the recipient of the Order of Gabriel Dumont. Scofield has served as writer-in residence at the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg and Memorial University of Newfoundland. He is the recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012). Further to writing and teaching, Scofield is also a skilled bead-worker, and he creates in the medium of traditional Métis arts. He continues to assemble a collection of mid to late 19th century Cree-Metis artifacts, which are used as learning and teaching pieces. Scofield’s first memoir Thunder Through My Veins (Doubeday Canada/Anchor Books) was re-published Fall 2019.
His latest book, kôhkominawak ocihcîwawa – Our Grandmothers’ Hands: Repatriating Métis Material Art was published by the Gabriel Dumont Institute in 2024. The book received two Saskatchewan Book Awards: The Indigenous Peoples’ Publishing Award and the Publishing in Education Awards in 2024.
Floral Beadwork Design
Gregory was commissioned to provide a floral beadwork design for Indigenous Roots Coffee Co. He offered an original floral beadwork piece he designed and created which was then beautifully digitized by Kaija Hietland, in consultation with him. This digitized version is what you see on the coffee bags today. You can see two designs in the pane on this page.
Ken Hans
Ken Hans was born and raised in Skidegate Haida Gwaii, where he lives today. His art work is heavily influenced by his late uncle Thomas Hans. His first ovoid was given to him by George Reid in Bella Bella and since then he has spent quite a bit of time working with Christian White and Jim Hart in Masset.
In 2008 and 2009, he enrolled in art school in Terrace taking the Freda Diesing Northwest Coast Fine Arts Program. At the time it was Northwest Community College. At the end of his second year he was hired to carve two poles for the college which stand today in front of the Waap Galts’ap Longhouse. The poles are humans holding copper shields.
After moving home, he began work with the Watchmen program, caring for Haida Village sites in Gwaii Haanas. He spent a decade protecting sensitive areas of high cultural significance and educating visitors. He was called from that work to carve with Jim Hart and today, you will usually find him working there. He really likes working in the wood medium as well as with acrylic, canvas and basics of designing. He enjoys seeing the younger generation carving.
Kaagan Jaad Design
They say, in the very beginning Kaagan Jaad, Mouse Woman, emerged and courageously approached the great Spiritual Being SGuuluu Jaad, Foam Woman. Kaagan Jaad became small in size but her bravery and determination remained consistent in all her interactions. In her stories, she uses her powers to help humans, especially young people when they listen closely to her advice. Today, her strength carries on and, as humans, we can emulate her powerful and generous ways of being in the world.
