Voices From The Land
$900.00
Available
Description
‘Voices From The Land’ by Susan Point, O.C., DFA., RCA., D.Litt – First Nations Northwest Coast, Coast Salish Art presented by DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts.
Condition: No condition noted.
Artist’s Description: “In Musqueam and Northwest Coast Indigenous traditions, frogs hold deep symbolic importance for me and my community. Their presence in our stories and teachings marks them as powerful messengers who bridge the human, natural and spiritual worlds. Revered as the Voices of the Land, frogs represent communication, unity and stability. I see their unique ability to live both in water and on land as a symbol of adaptability and spiritual connection.
Every spring, when I hear the chorus of frogs, I know it signals the end of winter ceremonies and the time to begin preparations for the abundant gathering season. Frogs’ connection to water embodies transformation and healing, reminding me and my community of the importance of growth and spiritual wisdom. Our teachings encourage harmony, gratitude, and balance, and the frog inspires us to practice patience and respect for life’s cycles. Their song comforts me to keep me in harmony with the land.” — Susan Point
Notes from DaVic Gallery
An Advanced Graphic Tessellation: In Voices From The Land, Dr. Susan Point delivers a visual masterclass in structural harmony by adapting the complex geometry of a repeating tessellation to traditional Coast Salish formlines. Executed against a solid, deep-black field, the composition features a flawless mathematical grid of frogs rendered in alternating earthy greens, muted sages, and soft quartz greys. By configuring the shapes so that the contours of one frog perfectly carve out the body of the next, Point eliminates dead space entirely. This creates an intense graphic rhythm that forces the viewer’s eye to constantly shift between positive and negative space.
The Sacred Architecture of Interlocking Forms: The technical brilliance of this print lies in its deliberate orientation and angles. Rather than aligning the creatures on a predictable vertical or horizontal axis, Point positions the frogs at a dynamic, shifting diagonal pitch. This fluid angling replicates the raw, living motion of a swarming spring pond, denying the eye a static resting point.
Because the hands, limbs, and webbed feet of each frog explicitly grip and carve into the anatomy of its neighbor, the tessellation carries a profound socio-cultural weight. This interlocking matrix is a direct visual translation of unity and stability—a graphic demonstration of an integrated community where every individual shares boundaries, supports the collective weight, and lives in absolute structural interdependence.
The Graphic Anatomy of the Messenger: Every individual frog in this layout is anchored by iconic Salish design elements. Susan masterfully applies split-U forms, rounded crescent shapes, and piercing ovoid eyes to build the anatomical layout of the creatures. The bodies are accented with distinct, stylized spotting patterns that mirror the organic skin variations of real forest amphibians, capturing the essence of transformation and healing. The narrow, commanding vertical layout of the paper creates a towering architectural column of movement, acting as a portal that anchors the viewer to the rhythm of the changing seasons.
Investment Value and Collectability: While Dr. Susan Point is renowned for her monumental public installations in glass, cedar, and bronze, her limited-edition silkscreens represent the purest expressions of her graphic vocabulary. Voices From The Land stands as a highly desirable acquisition from her 2025 releases. Pristine works that showcase this degree of complex interlocking pattern design are historically prized by curators and secondary markets alike, promising immense legacy value for discerning modern art portfolios.
The blank sheet of letter-size (8 ½ x 11 inch) paper covering part of the image in the scale documentation photo is provided for exact reference, immediately demonstrating the vertical command and versatile architectural display qualities of this fine print.
Copyright Note:
© DaVic Art Gallery, 2026. All rights reserved. Content may be quoted or reproduced for educational or promotional purposes only with clear attribution to DaVic Art Gallery of Native Canadian Arts and inclusion of the original artwork title and artist’s name.