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cw Joy being a hater about other people's readings of biblical texts

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Susan Point, Spindle Whorl - Teacher’s Study Guide 2017

Asha Jhuboo, Ashley McPherson, Ed Gillis, Sarah Wenz

Our resource is an excellent teacher’s guide on the art of Musqueam artist Susan Point. From 18 February to 28 May 2017, the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) hosted the first stand-alone exhibit of works by Ms. Point, whose career spanning over three decades is most renowned for her motif of the spindle whorl (a wooden wheel used in weaving wool) as a base for traditional Musqueam artistic expression (VAG, 2017, 4). The accompanying teacher’s guide has classroom-ready activities and lessons starting with studying the artist’s biography and elements of Coast Salish art, then several hands-on applications of artistic structures common to Ms. Point’s repertoire: stylized animals, spindle whorls, and depictions of positive and negative space. There is even a place-based activity in which students seek out Ms. Point’s oeuvres throughout the Lower Mainland and beyond. 

The teacher’s guide resource, with all information and worksheets, is available as a free PDF at: https://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/pdfs/SG_SusanPoint.pdf. 

We were intrigued by this resource because it is ready-to-use in art classes at all grade levels, as an authentic example of contemporary Coast Salish art by a living, female Musqueam artist rather than relying on stereotypes and craft-based approaches to incorporating Indigenous culture in the classroom. Ms. Point “push[es] the boundaries” in interpreting traditional forms with modern representations, and by being a woman carver in the conventionally male field of Indigenous sculpture (VAG, 2017, 4). 

According to Ms. Point’s web site, she inherited her knowledge of Musqueam art among other cultural values and practices from “her mother Edna– who learned by her mother, Mary Charlie-Grant) (Point, n.d.). It descends from the traditional (unceded) territory of the Musqueam people, now shared with the western part of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. As for the teacher’s guide, which shares insight into the elements of traditional Coast Salish art, it was designed by Sarvenaz Amanat with the copyrights attributed to the Vancouver Art Gallery. Sarvenaz is connected to First Nations communities and felt comfortable creating this guide. The information from the guide came primarily from the curatorial staff and the didactic panels at the Art Gallery. The gallery did try repeatedly to contact Susan Point to collaborate with her on the resource but they were unable to make contact with her. However, they did work with Susan’s son a small amount on the resource guide as her son works very closely with her. The Art Gallery’s School Programs staff is also continually looking for feedback from the teachers that have used the resource guide. The constructive feedback that they have received will be considered when making the next edition of the guide (S. Rome, personal communication, June 26, 2017). 

There are many benefits in using this resource. First of all, Susan Point is an acclaimed and popular artist who has put forward remarkable work. She portrays the Coast Salish culture in a unique way. Getting to learn about her and her work will be beneficial to students of all ages. Consequently, the latter’s knowledge about Indigenous art and culture will greatly increase. Students can also develop an admiration and liking for art when they study the work of Susan Point. They can see and appreciate a different type of art than that they are used to. Furthermore, this resource is already well structured and provides activities and ideas to teachers who have to include Indigenous perspectives in their lessons as per the guidelines of BC’s revised curriculum. This resource provides pre-activities and “follow-up activities to facilitate discussion” (VAG, 2017, 3) and this will inevitably develop students’ creativity and learning about the culture, art and ways of living of First Nations. The activities that are available in this guide are very simple, fun and can be done without extra cost. They are adaptable and are appropriate for the different grade levels. 

Unfortunately, there are a few challenges in using this resource. This guide was written to be used for activities before and after the students’ visit to the Vancouver Art Gallery featuring Susan Point’s exhibition which is no longer being shown to the public. The teacher can however overcome this challenge by using slideshows of the artist’s work in class, or the 160-page illustrated book published by VAG to accompany the exhibit (available at the Gallery, Chapters or Amazon). There is also a list of places in Metro Vancouver where her work is featured and the teacher can organize a field trip in order to show the students her work. This experiential activity can help students in better understanding Susan Point’s work. Another issue is the lack of information for citation purposes. The guide does not provide any information about the author or curriculum developer of this resource, and the list of websites is general. 

This is a resource that was created with the expectation that teachers will use and incorporate it within their classroom teachings. Due to the fact that this particular resource is posted on a website for all to access, it can be assumed that permissions have been granted for public use. When using an Indigenous resource, one must take a considerate amount of time to introduce the artist, their nation and a brief history (included on VAG, 2017, 5). This resource not only outlines where to begin, but it also serves as an exemplary guide for teachers as they make their way through an entire unit. There are detailed lessons and activities that can easily be modified to allow accessibility for any grade level. One beneficial part of this resource is that it can be included cross-curricularly: not only is there a focus on the art itself, but the aspects within the art can apply to mathematics (shapes, lines, symmetry), language arts (the stories behind the animals used in the art), social studies (researching the history of the artist and her genealogy), physical education (exploring outdoors/ touring the city to view the public works of art), and science (the use and function of the spindle whorl). The lesson that I believe must be included is that of the “About the Artist” research task. It is of utmost importance to know about the artist before one dives into their works and creations. This is an important acknowledgment and introduction to the individual, her roots, and history. 

All lessons can be made as complex or as simple as the teacher would see fit. Depending on the materials and technology available, certain lessons can be used, while others may not. For secondary art students, there could be a focus placed on the Coast Salish style and formal art elements. While for elementary students, there could be a focus on using the shapes to create the abstract discussed in the Stylized Animal Creations lesson. Though the exhibit for which this resource was created is no longer running, Susan Point’s website and public works of art found around Vancouver can serve as a perfect place to view and experience her pieces. As a final suggestion, Susan Point has often taken part in Artist in Residence programs throughout Greater Vancouver in which she has graciously spent her time in schools teaching students about her art and practice with the spindle whorl. To find out her availability, or if you have any questions, you can connect with her directly through her website: https://susanpoint.com/connect/, there is also a frequently asked questions section that is suggested to check first. 

Resources 

Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG). (2017). Susan Point: Spindle Whorl (Teacher’s Guide). Retrieved online: https://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/pdfs/SG_SusanPoint.pdf 

Point, Susan (n.d.). About. Retrieved online: https://susanpoint.com/about/