28 Mar MOUNTAINS FOR EVERYONE:

THE GONDOLA GALLERY FEATURES SḴWX̱WÚ7MESH AND LIL̓WAT7ÚL ARTWORK

Artworks by Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw artists Skwetsimeltxw Willard ‘Buddy’ Joseph and Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George, and Lil̓wat7úl artist Levi Nelson wrap PEAK 2 PEAK gondola cabins at Whistler Blackcomb.

In partnership with Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, Vail Resorts and Epic Pass commissioned Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw and Lil̓wat7úl artists to create original works for the third and fourth installations of The Gondola Gallery by Epic–a unique gallery intended to create meaningful conversation around representation, diversity, inclusion and access for all types of skiers and riders.

Skwetsimeltxw Willard ‘Buddy’ Joseph and Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George (Squamish Nation) and Levi Nelson (Lil’wat Nation) honour and uplift their cultures and traditions with the creation of contemporary Indigenous artworks that wrap two PEAK 2 PEAK gondola cabins at Whistler Blackcomb. Whistler Blackcomb operates on the shared unceded territories of the Lil̓wat7úl (Lil’wat Nation) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.

WINGS OF THUNDER

CHIEF JANICE GEORGE AND BUDDY JOSEPH (SQUAMISH NATION)

Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George and husband Skwetsimeltxw Willard ‘Buddy’ Joseph bring their weaving skills and cultural knowledge to the WINGS OF THUNDER project. This initiative transforms a traditional weaving pattern into a bold and geometric graphic design that adorns one of the cabins on Whistler Blackcomb’s PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. The design represents Thunderbird, a powerful Sḵwx̱wú7mesh supernatural being that roosts on the local iconic Black Tusk peak near Whistler Blackcomb.

Chief Janice George is a hereditary chief, experienced museum curator, and educator. Her education at Capilano University and the Institute of American Indian Arts has enhanced her role as a leader and teacher. Willard ‘Buddy’ Joseph, formerly Squamish Housing and Capital Projects director, now consults on projects for First Nations communities. Both are deeply committed to the preservation and promotion of Squamish culture.

The collaboration between George and Joseph extends beyond art. As co-founders of L’hen Awtxw Weaving House, the duo teaches traditional Coast Salish wool weaving techniques and emphasizes the importance of cultural perspectives in the craft. For them, weaving is not just a skill but also a way of seeing the world and sharing cultural traditions in a good way: “It’s more than just the techniques of weaving. It’s about ways of being and seeing the world.”

Chief Janice George’s lifelong desire to learn traditional Salish weaving went unrealized until her forties when she could find someone to learn from, as the government ban on cultural practices and attempted cultural genocide interrupted knowledge transfer and left very few teachers to carry the tradition forward.

The WINGS OF THUNDER design tells a Squamish Nation story through a traditional weaving pattern translated into a modern work of Indigenous art and broadcasts the strength and vitality of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw lands, culture, and people. George shares an inclusive mountains-for-all spirit that aligns with the intention of The Gondola Gallery by Epic and says that all it takes to share in the power, love, and energy of the local mountains, air, and waters is an open mind and heart.

The gondola, wrapped in the WINGS OF THUNDER design, brings Thunderbird energy to Whistler Blackcomb to all visitors and riders, keeping watch and wrapping them in protection. Chief Janice George shares: “The significance of the Thunderbird being on the gondola is that it brings the energy back on the mountain and watching over all of us.”

RED

LEVI NELSON (LIL’WAT NATION)

Levi Nelson, a painter and visual artist from the Lil’wat Nation, brings traditional elements of Northwest Coast and Coast Salish art to life through his work, exploring Indigenous culture within a Western understanding of art. His latest painting, RED, adorns Whistler Blackcomb’s PEAK 2 PEAK gondola, offering a journey through time and tradition as passengers gaze out through the artwork’s ovoid and Ancestral Eye: “These shapes come from and are inspired by my ancestors. To be inside the gondola, looking out through an ovoid or the Ancestral Eye, maybe you can imagine what it’s like to experience my territory and see home through my eyes.”

Through his preferred mediums of oil paint and mixed media on canvas, Nelson’s art is a bridge between traditional Lil’wat motifs and contemporary expression. His pieces, such as those featured in the Arts Whistler” Reconcile This” group show, speak to the complex history and vibrant present of the Lil̓wat7úl. Nelson has been selected to design the branding for the Invictus Games 2025.

Nelson’s journey from his home community of the Lil’wat Nation to Columbia University’s MFA program allowed him to refine his skills while carrying the responsibility and pride of his community–an opportunity and success he took not just for himself but for his entire community and all of Lil’wat Nation. Nelson notes that Valley Creek, the creek between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, was once the location of his Grandfather’s trap line. Alta Lake was his uncles’ playground before the relocation of Lil̓wat7úl people to reserves and the area’s development. The land, at once a Traditional Territory and mountain resort, is strong enough to carry all of these realities, and Nelson’s work draws from this strength to create new artworks and iterations of Lil̓wat7úl culture.

Indigenous art has always been contemporary and evolved through continuous adaptive and innovative Indigenous responses to the environment and materials. With Nelson’s art, the PEAK 2 PEAK gondola becomes more than just a mode of transport on the ski hill; it transforms into a moving gallery showcasing Indigenous art and culture across the mountain landscape. By breaking the boundaries of a traditional gallery setting, Nelson’s work on the gondola integrates old and new realities, offering a dynamic representation of Lil’wat culture that is alive and thriving. For Whistler Blackcomb, collaboration with Nelson and recognition of the shared unceded territories of the Lil’wat and Squamish Nations are meaningful steps towards reconciliation and a collaborative celebration of Indigenous cultures.

Nelson’s art enhances the passenger experience and blares a colourful message about the enduring strength and success of the Lil’wat culture and its people. As RED moves across the mountains, it tells a story of resilience, adaptation, and celebration of Lil̓wat7úl culture, lands, and people that echoes through the peaks and valleys.

Levi Nelson’s vision is made visible—a beautiful, living tapestry of history, culture, and community for all to witness: “I’m hoping that through my work, people are able to see there’s a rich indigenous community thriving here.”

View short films spotlighting the artists’ personal journeys and artwork from concept to creation here:

• Levi Nelson (Lil’wat Nation)
• Chief Janice George and Buddy Joseph (Squamish Nation)