2015 a book about a book2 by Ian Bateson, Art Director, Graphic Designer and Artist.

about and

Seventy three illustrations by Ian Bateson completed for two projects between 1980-84

P a r t O n e : ABOOKaboutABOOK I’ve struggled for some years to open my stored illustration work (and there are lots) done back in the early 80’s. Most of the ISSUU books I’ve completed over the last four years have been reflective of my work using Procreate or for my friend Alex Waterhouse-Hayward reviewing his incredible photographic talent in portraiture.

Late in 1980—an exciting year—Douglas & McIntyre, (D&M) won a BC Provincial contract to revamp the Grade-4 social studies class books and Scott McIntyre invited me to be a key player both for the research and illustration of this major undertaking.

So this is a big departure—and it might well be my age dictating—or simply realizing that so much has changed in over three decades in how creative work is accomplished, this was an opportunity for younger people to understand how time consuming and difficult work of this nature was prior to the internet.

A team of professionals in writing, pedagogy and editing, Heather Siska, Chuck Heath, Carol Langford, Vicki Mulligan, Pamela Thomas, were hired to lead the approach in producing what would become a completely fresh and new approach in teaching social studies in British Columbia. This would end in being a three and a half year journey for this young illustrator, eager to work and get paid a reasonable amount of money per month.

Always thrilled at any new challenge, wether from an opportunity to illustrate an article for Vancouver Magazine or to research, illustrate and design a kids book for Douglas & McIntyre.

So the first part of the story attempts to outline the work process and the outcome of this once in a lifetime project that kept me enthralled and busy between 1980 and 1984. v

Process: research, sketches, authentication and final art. T h e b oo k

1 Rough sketch

2 Refined sketch

A group meeting in the office of D&M, in 1980, prepared me for what would be months of intense research about the Haida. Time spent in the bowls of the UBC Stacks, the Vancouver Public Library and many other institutions in the Lower Mainland, informing me about these people and their way of life.

It was decided the story of these two distinct groups should be told through the creation of young characters, similar in age to our Grade-4 readers, in examining customs, work and way of life they might have experienced during the four seasons of the year.

Once happy with the composition I’d refine the drawing, incorporating details such as the Shamans attire— amulets worn, the ceremonial rattle and soul catcher—these drawings would be given to ethnographic experts to critique and provide feed back.

For each drawing I produced an initial rough sketch to set the tone onto tracing paper, making it easy to refine the illustrations and change details as the work progressed.

I would make notations about details, not clear in this stage of the drawing, so those critics could better understand how the final art would be finished.

The Inuit was the first unit, Heather Siska completed, hence the first I finished in 1982, having already a wealth of prior research from a previous project, People of The Ice. This provided an opportunity to travel to the Queen Charlotte Islands to meet with the Haida and discuss the project from the source, versus just stacks and libraries. Leaving Vancouver in April 1983, with my young son, wife and a Volkswagen Beetle full of camp gear, we headed out, only to succumb to a head on collision in the Fraser Canyon, meaning I couldn’t begin the Haida unit until August. 4

3 Final sketch

4 Final drawing

5 Final production

The experts provided feedback such as; the rattle the shaman was holding is the wrong way up, the soul catcher in the left hand is too small and the editorial staff wanted less activity in the background. I would then produce a revised final sketch, again using tracing paper, that would act as a stencil for the final pencil and charcoal art and final sign off from the editorial staff.

The final, approved, tracing paper linear would be transferred onto Bainbridge, high quality, 20” x 30” drawing board.

I would then hand off batches of illustrations—as they were completed— to the design department, who would scale and markup the work for halftone prints to be made. These prints would then be pasted onto boards (using hot wax) along with typesetting galleys and any other graphic element that made up the page and spread.

Employing pencils—Staedtler HB, HB-4 and a very hard 2-Staedtler—along with occasional charcoal and airbrush work, I would complete each illustration, taking at least two days for smaller vignettes and four days for the larger, more complex works.

These completed boards where then shipped to the printer where a blue line proof would be made for final sign off prior to plate making and printing.

Creating the Haida characters Above, the opening chapter for the Haida story and right, a copy of the original 20“ x 30” pencil art. Anthropological critics questioned my original sketch of the canoe, posture of the paddler and the proper position and attachment of the gunwales, all corrected before finalizing the artwork.

I worked closely with Heather Siska, the author of this book—with her ten years experience in the study of Canada’s early people—she was incredibly helpful in setting the stage for many of the illustrations for this project. Heather created a character called Sgundii, aged 11, to act as the story teller in this first segment. He would be at the centre of the narrative, depicting the typical, four season cycle, experienced in the lives of the Haida and how those seasons unfolded which dictated times for ceremony, work and life. Always a challenge for an illustrator to capture the essence of one person running through a narrative, I felt intimidated and frustrated when constantly having to represent this young individual and his immediate family, integral to our young readers. It was an early criticism in my first set of preliminary sketches that faces both male and female looked familiar and I was asked to study early Curtis photographs to try and better differentiate our characters.

Sgundii begins his journey I don’t have the original of the illustration at right, I gave it as a gift to D&M at the end of the project, but it is one, out of many in this first segment of the book, I thought I’d successfully introduced our young Haida storyteller. After the accident and returning from Kamloops Hospital, it took a few weeks to return to my drawing table. I actually believe these are better illustrations because of the pain and suffering, they were immensely cathartic whilst completing this project.

The perspective for the village was a challenge because I had to extrapolate how these totems would look from an opposite viewpoint, left to right versus right to left as seen in the early 1878 photograph of Skedans. In the anthropological critics notes, there was some difference of opinion about the long houses having four versus six supporting beams—portrayed in my original sketch—and consensus was reached that six were fine. One totem, which was in the wrong position, was adjusted in the final artwork.

Telling the story was in the details The home village for Sgundii was based on an old photograph of the village of Skedans from 1878. The village was located at the head of Cumshewa Inlet on the Queen Charlotte Islands off the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Further research into the details of the totems, practices for beaching canoes where required to portray an accurate illustration of a Haida village.

C h a l l e n g e o f n o t i n c l u d i n g t oo m u c h d e t a i l My first attempt depicting this intimate family meal required simplifying the setting. My understanding from research the houses would be full of families eating in groups. I was asked to dispense with other groups in the background and if I wanted Grandma and Grandpa standing they must be bringing something to the table. Also the original drawing had all the food bowls highly finished in Haida artwork, not the case for everyday living, only for a Potlatch.

Vicki Mulligan and Pamela Thomas, the teacher consultants for this project mentioned this illustration had a lot of pedagogical merit in the details. Those details took four days to render but I felt happy with the end result.

Ongoing narrative alongside technical detail A balance was struck on use of full blown illustrations and/or vignettes, this one received some praise for its storytelling and the richness it offered through pedagogical practice in the classroom. For technical detail it was determined that simple line drawings alongside the richly detailed pencil drawings, was also the best approach for the entire book, for ease of teaching.

Not all plans made could be followed The scene of Grandmother preparing the clam fire pit had originally started as a full page bleed with men and women emptying their canoes of the catch of that day in the background, but the editorial came in far longer than anticipated hence the vignette.

The last illustration in the Spring chapter As mentioned earlier, Sgundii’s birth home was based on an old 1878 Curtis photograph of Skedan and this final scene shows his family leaving to deliver the boy to his new home. The original plan for the illustration, to break the spread, worked well and provided a dynamic exit into the next chapter about Summer.

A season of abundance Above, the opening chapter for the Summer story and right, a copy of the original opening spread 20“ x 30” pencil art. My original sketch came back with a lot of detailed critiques; make sure the berry bush is identifiable, ensure all braided belts and baskets are the traditional Haida weave, ensure the women has a small basket on her waist, etc.

Setting the stage for a new set of characters, Sgunndii’s Uncles family; Aunt, eldest cousin Sk’awdii and her younger sister Jadkyaandaas, picking berries at their Summer camp. I made many sketches of these characters until I felt comfortable with their proportions and facial features.

Saving for the Winter This was a particularly challenging illustration. All my research about smokehouses pointed to the women being responsible for this very hot job, where five fires where kept fuelled for hours to properly treat the fish meat for winter. These women would wear as little clothing as possible, which my initial sketch showed. The editorial board sent my sketch back with firm instructions to cover the women up.

Other instructions were minor such as; the correct placement of the fish on the racks, lashings needed adding and the gaps between wall planks were too wide.

A Haida wedding The composition of my original sketch for this one changed considerably in the final art and I also had to notate my twelve source books for regalia, ensuring accuracy with Haida designs. Lots of picky things were asked for such as; how a garment pin is properly placed, hats needed to be lower down on the head and the size of the stone mortar was too small.

An otter attack and a shaman The original sketch was pared down by the editorial board, no Skundii or other characters in the background and my anthropological editors alerted me to the rattle being held the wrong way and the spirit catcher in his left hand was too small. All the details in the shamans amulets to his skin designs were gleamed from multiple research sources and required extensive notes on the first sketch.

The Ceder tree was central to the life of the Haida I really wanted this piece to be dramatic and entertainingly detailed. Minor details where changed such as; the paddle sizes, lashings on the cross thwarts and the water bailer needed to be larger. My original sketch had the stern oarsman standing, sorry Ian he needs to be kneeling.

Left, the opening chapter spread for the fall story and a copy of the original opening spread 20“ x 30” pencil art.

Challenge of not including enough detail Most of the critiques that came back on my first drawing had to do with details; the tongs for carrying hot rocks were too small, the fire was too close to the tree and the wedges for splitting the wood needed to be larger and sharper. Again teachers praised the final artwork for all the detail that would engage discussion in the classroom.

B r i n g i n g t h e w oo d h o m e c e r e m o n y Again details were the main issue with my initial sketch; show cedar mats covering the walls, pile boxes and rolled mats behind the celebrants, the drum sticks where wrong, facets of the roof cedar beams needed adjusting and the plank drum wasn’t Haida.

The final drawing took a few days to complete and once finished I would fix the work twice over two days, which I’m pleased I did because 30 years later they are still strong and unblemished.

Many drawings never made it to final art I had prepared numerous drawings outlining the different methods of Haida wood working; carving and building canoes, bent box manufacture, creating planks for buildings, etc, there just wasn’t enough room in the book and discussions to make them into study sheets didn’t materialise due to cost overruns.

On my initial sketch I was asked to remove a second carver who’s attention was on Uncle and Sgundii. The removed carver was shown actually working, so tools down to tell the story.

Vignettes where a nice break from the big work Working on the odd smaller illustration made a nice change from the more detailed larger story lines. I thought it best to stick to birds as not sure Sk’awdii and Grandmother would have been so sanguine with a bear or cougar crossing their path.

R e s e a r c h o f t e n r e l i e d o n a n t h r opo l o g i c a l r e c o r d s My initial drawing drew a great deal of attention and changes in relation to relative size of objects, positioning of objects being used and actual practice of the work being performed.

Changes included; size of wedges and their position for log splitting, size and shape of sharpening stone, and the size and shape of the adze. There are no photographs of people using tools, and my research seldom mentioned the size of the object, so our Anthropological experts where key to creating these illustrations as accurately as possible.

Another fun vignette Side bar stories where fun to do, but I didn’t understand the art directors desire to have just a simple line illustration for the blanket game, it felt like an unfinished spread to me, but the editorial team sided with his decision.

A simple story with lots of detail corrections Many details in my first line drawings where corrected before going to the finished pencil illustration. In my research I occasionally came across tools attributed to the Haida but actually turned out to be Kwakiutl or another Southern British Columbia group.

The bark beater was incorrect, a wooden dish—not in the finished illustration—needed changing or removing and the weave design was questioned.

T h e r a i s i n g o f a n e w h o u s e e n t r a n c e po l e My initial sketch was critiqued in regard to the size of the corner post holding the house beam, it wasn’t big enough to support the cross beam, the retaining plate of wood at the base of the pole being raised needed to be wider and vertical, the entrance was too low and the pole not thick enough and finally men would not be positioned within the hole the pole was being positioned in.

W i n t e r a t i m e f o r po t l a t c h a n d f e a s t s Two comments, one was the size of the canoe overpowered the subject— Sgundii being face painted—and two, my original sketch of the bow of the canoe wasn’t graceful enough. The bow was changed but I won the argument about the composition.

The linear drawings where always accompanied with written notes about the final finish of clothing, patterns and designs. I also supplied research sources to help qualify the final details that would be incorporated into the finished artwork.

T h e f i n a l i l l u s t r at i o n f o r t h e H a i d a s e c t i o n o f t h e b oo k This was an intensely detailed illustration to complete and the critiques where abundant; relative size of objects, how hats would sit on heads, masks would be raised off the ground and everything would be elaborately decorated. It took me four days to complete the illustration and it would be the last of the entire project, as I actually completed the Inuit before the Haida stories.

Introducing the characters for the Inuit story Having worked with Heather Siska in late 1979 on another children’s book —People of the Ice—I’d already accrued enough research on the Inuit that I could jump straight into establishing the characters Nanuk, Ootek and their family as they set off on the journey that would outline these peoples lives through the four seasons.

Left, the opening chapter spread for the fall story and a copy of the original opening spread 20“ x 30” pencil art.

C a r i b o u p l ay e d a c e n t r a l r o l e i n t h e l i v e s o f t h e I n u i t I have always admired this indigenous group of people, surviving in one of the worlds harshest environments and utilizing everything they hunt and gather. When you consider their ingenuity from making clothing warm enough to withstand bitterly cold conditions, erecting temporary housing and creating transportation for the varying northerly conditions, this part of the book was a joy to illustrate.

Inuit from west to east varied in subtle ways The cultures of these northern nomads varied from tattoo designs, summer dress and artwork produced, but certain tools, transportation methods hunting practices remained relatively similar.

Below is my research sketch book from 1979. When working in library stacks, such as the University of BC, I was unable to borrow many source books and would spend days notating and drawing in these institutions.

The caribou are coming! Boys learned early the trade of effective hunting and our boy—Ootek—would create his weapons from wood gathered in the warm weather from beaches and use flint and bone for arrow and spear heads tied with leather thongs. Nanuk is wearing an amulet made from bird skulls and feet, worn for good luck and help in bearing strong male children and future hunters.

Inukshuks helped the Inuit hunt and travel These nomadic hunters required means to increase their numbers in order to scare and drive the caribou into appropriate killing areas such as valleys or in this case a river. The stone built Inukshuks also served as landmarks particularly during winter for travelling groups. The illustration was completed in three days and flowed nicely as a double page spread.

P r e pa r i n g a n d s t o r i n g f o r t h e w i n t e r This 20“ x 30” pencil drawing took about two days to complete and received some praise for its pedagogical detail.

Every part of the caribou was utilized; skin for clothing, internal organs where consumed immediately and meat was stored under mounds of rock and marked by placing the antlers on top. The meat would freeze for later use during winter. Tendons would be laid out to dry and become the thread women used to make clothing and tents.

A successful hunt celebrated You’ll notice a difference in the seal skin coat the drummer is wearing and the caribou coats worn by Nanuk and Ootek. Inverted seal skin was ideal for making kayaks and worn outer ware as it was totally waterproof.

My 1979, research sketch book outlined the various tools used on open water during family travel, hunting and fishing. The seal skin was ideal for all these water borne activities.

P r e pa r i n g f o r t h e l o n g w i n t e r m o n t h s Inuit would fish extensively in the later part of fall. The dried flesh would supplement their diet and help feed the dogs that would become the main form of travel and hunting during the long winter months. This was a time consuming illustration and took me a full four days to complete.

The last spread for the fall section provided a simple side bar with linear illustrations describing the three main forms of transport and how they were made.

W i n t e r p r e pa r at i o n Early winter, a time to ensure all clothing, equipment and sledges were in good order and caribou hides fashioned into new attire before the seal hunt could begin.

A complete change of scenery I had wanted to include a spread illustrating the eight steps to make an igloo but the book length didn’t permit the room. This editorial illustration I thought successfully carried the narrative and allowed teachers and students to interact about this winter story. The final illustration took about two and half days to complete.

A t ta c k f r o m t h e k i n g o f p r e d at o r s , t h e N a n u q This was a difficult illustration, only because my imagination concocted a much more animated event, but how to capture that in a pencil drawing. I did at least three drafts before deciding on this final piece.

D i s a ppo i n t m e n t w a s a p a r t o f s u r v i v a l This is probably the most disappointing illustration I did in the entire book. I should have used the airbrush more to capture the winter landscape, but enlisted a very soft 4B pencil along with a smudging tool. The art director wanted this illustration completed quickly as part of a batch he was sending for processing, so I ran out of time to redo it.

Moving onto the ice to hunt for seals I really enjoyed doing this illustration, feeling it conveyed the story line well and technically accomplished what I wanted, movement, pain and endurance, even the detail in the copy, Ootek touching his cheek to warm it.

A s a c r e d r o c k , a h o ly p l a c e w h e r e l a n d m e e t s i c e Winter hunting and gathering would now be limited to seals and fishing on the sea ice. The family still needed to haul their open water kayaks for the Spring thaw, but essentially semi-permanent—igloos—dwellings would act as their home. They would only move if the hunting was poor. It was also a time for storytelling, games, carving and making and repairing clothes.

Unrivalled patience and skill to survive I don’t have the original of the ice seal hunt—it was gifted to the publisher at the end of the contract—but it depicts another example of the shear tenacity of the Inuit hunter. This is a fitting spread that ends the chapter on winter, contrasting between the hard work of everyday life and the wonder of the natural landscape as pictured by Nanuk spellbound by the show of the northern lights.

I employed a mask to the actual pencil drawing and then turned to black india ink, airbrushing the background after which gently spraying acrylic titanium white for the effects of the northern lights and night sky.

Winter recedes changing the method of the ice hunt A dangerous time for the hunters as ice leads could part, possibly trapping them from the larger pack. Seals didn’t use breathing holes meaning the men would have to, very slowly, creep along the cold and wet ice melt before attempting to strike the animal with their harpoons.

Preparation for change a constant for the Inuit Sharing responsibility in an ever changing environment was a necessity for these people, tools used in one season could not be used in the next out of respect for the sea life and/or land life that their lives depended on.

Below is a side bar describing equipment required from season to season.

A new life and new hunter, in time for Summer With encroaching warmer weather, our story tells of renewal and the changes in the peoples shelter that takes place between Spring and Summer. Animals and birds change the colour of their coats, the Caribou return for calving and the men and women prepare equipment and clothing for the impending warmer weather.

My 1979, sketch book provided ethnographic details from research in the library stacks at UBC.

E v e r y o n e l oo k e d f o r w a r d t o S u m m e r , a t i m e o f p l e n t y The returning caribou and an abundance of other food sources, made the transition from Spring to Summer one the Inuit looked forward to. Winter hunting and clothing gear would be cleaned and stored until next year and the Summer hunting equipment unpacked and if necessary repaired.

t h e p e op l e w a l k e d a n d e v e r y o n e c a r r i e d t h e i r w e i g h t

The family would travel to the migrating food sources, men hunted caribou, women and children would fish and catch birds and as they travelled they would all gather heating and cooking and heating supplies in the form of sticks washed up on the shores of rivers and open waterways.

Summer was a time of fun as well as work Games of strength where played out by the men, women sang and children openly enjoyed playing and training new pups. This was also a time when the Inuit could enjoy gathering the foods provided by the tundra; vetch roots, sorrel leaves and rosewood stems where some of their favorites.

Far left, a side bar describing the Inuit process for making clothing and the differences between winter and summer attire.

The ideal end to our story about the Inuit With the return of Kuvlu, thought to be lost on a hunt, our two characters, would embrace the future knowing Ootek would have a fine young hunter to teach him and Nanuk a strong fighter to share her life with.

Not sure if I captured this last— editorial styled— illustration exactly as I had envisaged it, but we all thought it a fitting end, congratulating Heather Siska for her talent in writing this Grade-4 social studies story, a first of its kind in Canada back in 1984.

P a r t T w o : ABOOKaboutAFILM The second part of this book details—with a little help from experience gained with D&M—what became another great illustrative project for CBC Radio-Canada (Société Radio-Canada).

for panning and close up details to fill in the stories emotional requirement. Also unlike the book, the film makers needed colour and their deadline was very tight.

I was contacted by Claudine Viallon a journalist for CBC and her husband Georges Payrastre, an independent film maker, to illustrate the story of Alexander Mackenzie’s epic trip from Fort Chipewyan to the Pacific Ocean in 1792.

Having worked in pencil and charcoal for the Haida and Inuit, I convinced them that I could accomplish the task in time if we employed the same technique, then have 18”x 20” black and white prints made which I could then colour—using oil paint—giving the finished work a sense of period but also allowing for very intense colour applications, an important requirement for their medium of film. v

Like the book—which required highly detailed, ethnographically accurate renditions—Claudine and Georges also required large expansive works

R eel one ; fort C hipewyan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Expanded view of the fort where Alexander Mackenzie began his epic journey to find an overland route to the Pacific, 10 October, 1792. Enough fine detail in the illustration allowed the camera to start

from a small close up, then pan out to the full width of the artwork, providing dynamics and movement.

R eel two ; fort C hipewyan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Mackenzie and his cousin Alexander MacKay interview and choose the six Canadian voyageurs, Joseph Landry, Charles Ducette, Francois Beaulieux, Baptiste Bisson, Francois Courtois, and Jacques

Beauchamp, two native guides and a dog simply called “Our Dog”. The camera could zoom into the individuals as the commentary introduced them and then finally pan out to full view.

R eel three ; fort C hipewyan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Packing the canoes prior to leaving the fort, the script required the ability to scan from Mackenzie, MacKay and the newly arrived Ojibway guides reporting on conditions further up the Peace River.

The camera then panned out to the full picture fading out into the detailed illustration on the next page, where a conversation could be heard between members of the Canadian Voyageurs.

R eel four ; fort C hipewyan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

This vignette worked well in fading from the packing for journey and the necessary prayers before casting off in Reel five, see the next page.

R eel five ; fort C hipewyan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Claudine had requested a relatively long dialogue about the practice of prayer before the voyageurs—all catholic—headed out on this epic venture.

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R eel six ; fort C hipewyan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Georges wanted a wide detailed picture that he could use in conjunction with a detailed illustration of their heads, so he could

vignette from one to the other as the individuals asked for a guided and safe journey.

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R eel seven ; T he S lave R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Voyageurs where renowned for their strength and stamina, they could cover huge distances in a day and where hired hands. Georges wanted to show this strength with the men singing as they rowed.

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Again the illustration had to withstand the camera zooming in on Mackenzie and MacKay discussing the trip, but also scan across the canoe showing the men at work.

R eel eight ; T he S lave R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

A smoke rest, George would scan the illustration whilst Claudine’s script would highlight conversation between Mackenzie and MacKay.

Interesting trivia, the Voyageurs would measure the distance they covered by the number of smoke stops they made. Here is a Wiki link for those more interested in their history; https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Voyageurs.

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R eel nine ; T he P eace R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

As the group came to a fork separating the Slave and leading into the Peace river the men encountered a much faster running current with frequent rapids.

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R eel ten ; T he P eace R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

The requirement for portage became more frequent and the passage much slower. From here they travelled to a fork on the Peace River

arriving in November where they built a fortification that they resided in over the winter. This later became known as Fort Fork.

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R eel E leven ; T he P arsnip R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

As they continued down the Parsnip and McGregor rivers, the men hunted and fished for provisions, living a rough, hard life and each day was long and grueling. Georges needed a night scene where

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the story would be continued through MacKenzie talking to his men about their next test of strength, crossing the Great Divide.

R eel twelve ; T he P arsnip R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

This illustrative detail was used to express what must have been some degree of trepidation on the part of the Voyageurs, then the camera

would fade into the next days onward journey and their first mishap toward the Rockies.

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R eel T hirteen ; D isaster strikes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

MacKenzie had written in his journal—Claudine’s main source for writing the film script—of a calamity after attempting to paddle a

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huge, fast running rapid. Luckily no one was hurt and their birch bark canoe only needed minor repairs.

R eel fourteen ; T he G reat D ivide 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

MacKenzie ordered a portage to the top of the Great Divide so he could survey for a better and safer route. Still being Spring, the men

encountered a very cold environment. MacKenzie saw below another larger river, the Fraser.

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R eel fifteen ; T he G reat D ivide 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

MacKenzie and his men reach the top and survey the valley below where the great Fraser river flows and they prepare to descend.

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R eel sixteen ; T he F raser R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Again from the MacKenzie journal entries, the group came across an abandoned fishing village and…

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R eel seventeen ; T he F raser R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

… the Voyageurs decide to trade some steel knifes and axes in exchange for fishing equipment left at the camp.

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R eel eighteen ; T he F raser R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

They crossed the Great Divide and found the upper reaches of the Fraser River, but warned by the local natives that the Fraser Canyon to the south was unnavigable and populated by belligerent

tribes. He was instead directed to follow a grease trail by ascending the West Road River, crossing over the Coast Mountains and descending the Bella Coola River to the sea.

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R eel ninteen ; T he C oast M ountains 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

MacKenzie and his Voyageurs stash and hide their birch bark canoe for their return journey and…

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R eel T wenty ; T he C oast M ountains 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

… begin the long hike over the Coast Mountains in search of the Bella Coola River…

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R eel T wenty O ne ; T he B ella C oola R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

… they descend into the valley and they come across a west coast village on the shores of the Bella Coola River…

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R eel T wenty T wo ; T he B ella C oola R iver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

… where they are welcomed with a meal and an offer to borrow a ceder canoe for the last part of their trip to the Pacific.

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R eel T wenty T hree ; T he P acific 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

They reached the Pacific on July 20, 1793 at Bella Coola, British Columbia, on the North Bentinck Arm, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean.

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R eel T wenty F our ; T he P acific 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

Georges asked for a vignette detail of elated Voyageurs succeeding in finding a navigable route to the West Coast.

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R eel T wenty S ix ; D ean C hannel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26

MacKenzie wrote a message on a rock near the water’s edge of Dean Channel, using a reddish paint made of vermilion and

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bear grease, then turned back east. The inscription read: “Alex MacKenzie, from Canada, by land, 22nd July 1793”

About Ian Bateson Education

Influences

1970 – 1974 Lancaster College Of Art. Graduated with Honours, Illustration and Graphic Design.

During his extensive travels, lan has visited some of the major world galleries; the Hermitage in St Petersburg, the Tate in London, the Lourve in Paris, the National in Washington and Biennale in Venice. Through these collections, from the 18th Century William Turner to Picasso in the 19th Century and Willem de Kooning and the American abstract expressionists in the 20th Century, Ian discovered wonder and amazement when in the presence of such exceptional works of art.

Experience During the 1970’s and early 80’s Ian showed a dedication in the field of illustration and graphic design, having built a solid reputation with the publishing industry as an illustrator of children’s books and a designer and illustrator for academic publications. Ian worked with Douglas & McIntyre, UBC Press, Harbour Publishing and various other international houses. From 1986 to 2012, Ian helped build Baseline Type & Graphics Cooperative into a thriving creative design studio working for major corporations, businesses, government agencies and NGO’s telling there stories through well crafted design and marketing solutions. Ian uses the skills he gained over 30 years, to apply his thoughts and imagination through personal, interpretive art. Ideas expressed through sketch books and apps are output to either giclees or limited edition laser prints.

The art of typography is also a keen interest and has been influenced by William Caslon, John Baskerville for their wonderful type designs and Ian Hamilton Finlay, Dom Sylvester Houédard and Edwin Morgan, for their amazing concrete poetry.

Artistic expression Ian creates an impression, mood and emotion through use of colour and form. He takes from his immediate environment and reflects a visual metaphor using assemblage, painting, and for the past three years worked with an app called Procreate using his iPad.

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Publications: from Ian Bateson’s Studio 2012-16 I n o r d e r o f m o s t r e c e n t ly p u b l i s h e d :

Book seven: A five week Christmas break spent with my Mother in North West England, allowed for some downtime between our extensive trips—in a hired car—to produce these fourteen pieces using Procreate. The book portrays the finished artwork accompanied by notes and the raw photographs used to create each piece. View the book here: https://issuu.com/icreate/docs/a_month_of_procreating_ in_england

Book six: An exciting and sad year, April saw my wife Jean and I fulfill a long wanted trip to China and we were also saddened to learn of the death of a good friend, Mark Budgen. These were the experiences that shaped these works produced both in Canada and England. View the book here: http://issuu.com/icreate/docs/2015_procreated_ inspirations

Book five: A journal of our fifteen day tour to China. This book chronicles an amazing journey that provided an array of images to work with in my digital art. By the time we arrived back in Shanghai for our return to Vancouver we had covered approximately 4,1771 kilometers or 2,596 miles by road air and water. 122

View the book here: https://issuu.com/icreate/docs/2015_china_visited

Book four: Review 28 pieces—by no means the entirety of my output—from my remaining 2014 volume of work representing the themes of air, land, water and other. Many are derived from my travels to England, the US, Europe and Canada using photo’s, painting and effects to create the multi-layered art work. View the book here: https://issuu.com/icreate/docs/2014procreated_ inspirations

Book three: Whimsical interpretations of fossils, skulls and bones— photographed at the Natural History Museum during a trip to New York— positioned within environments I had visited and photographed in other parts of the world. You can review in this publication the original photographs, descriptions of my process and the final art when using an iPad and the Procreate app. View the book here: https://issuu.com/icreate/docs/2014_iprocreate2b

Book two: A trip—September, 2013—to Alaska, photographs taken at the Fairbanks Museum and also during a five day tour of the Denali Park. My first ISSUU book of work, completed in 2012-13 using an iPad and the Procreate app. View the book here: http://issuu.com/icreate/docs/i_procreate 123

Book one: From a long desire to utilize some of the many photographs taken with my second digital camera and before obtaining an iPad, this was my first attempt through a series of sixteen specific Vancouver photographs that I converted into art using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop in 2012. This series won an adjudicated place in the Ferry Building Gallery and my first group show in 2013. View the book here: https://issuu.com/icreate/docs/my_views_ from_vancouver

C h i l d r e n ’ s b oo k s : i l l u s t r at e d b e t w e e n 1978-82 I n o r d e r o f m o s t r e c e n t ly p u b l i s h e d :

People of the Longhouse

People of the Ice

The Ancient Jews

People of the Trail

Published 1982,

Published 1980,

Published 1979,

Published 1978,

Douglas & McIntyre

Forty seven pages lavishly illustrating the lives of the Iroquoian people who lived in the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence River Valley.

Extensive illustrations help tell the tale of how the Inuit once lived and survived in one of the worlds harshest climates.

Illustrations provide a clear understanding of how the Jews lived and prospered in the land of Canaan for fifteen hundred years.

Labrador to the Rockies and northwest to Alaska, this illustrated book tells the story of the Algonkian and Athapaskan tribes.

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Exhibitions Dec 2013: North Vancouver Community Arts Council, Anonymous Show. Mar 2014: Ferry Building Gallery, West Vancouver. Abstracting Colour Photography. Nov 2014: Federation of Canadian Artists, Digital art show. Dec 2014: North Vancouver Community Arts Council, Anonymous Show.

Ian has worked in Vancouver as a book illustrator, conceptual artist and active graphic designer for 31 years and in 2012 re-activated his conceptual artistic roots using digital tools. Review samples at: ianbatesonstudio.com Contact Ian at: tel: 604 984 9283 cell: 604 809 8409 ibateson@icloud.com

Dec 2015: North Vancouver Community Arts Council, Anonymous Show.

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Ian Bateson, art director, designer and artist tel. 604 984 9283 cell. 604 809 8409 mail. ibateson@icloud.com www.ianbatesonstudio.com

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