Terrace Art Gallery shows work of students from Freda Diesing School

From Haidabentwood boxes to intricate and delicate weavings, the students at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art are learning and preserving traditional First Nations art in its many forms.

A student art exhibit is on display for the month of February at theTerrace Art Gallery.

For two young artists, it's an exciting time.

Jamie Nole, a member of the Frog clan and from the Tahltan and Nisga'a Nations, has several paintings on wood and paper in the exhibit. Nole said art helped her deal with trauma in her life.

"Making art definitely helps make me feel better," shetold CBC Radio'sNorth By NorthwesthostSherylMacKay.

"I think of it more as healing.I'm able to get all the emotions I hold in."

One of the works Nole has atthe Terrace Art Gallery is called Thank You Father,which depicts a frog riding on the back of a wolf.

Nole'sfather was a member of the Wolf clan, and supported her as a single father for the lastyears of his life.

Bringing back tradition

Another artist, Danika Naccarella, is from the Nuxalk First Nation and has five paintings and bentwood box renditionsin the gallery.

Naccarellasaidshe learned a lot by studying traditional art methods.

"It's a really great learning experience, just to copy a box design," she said. "I love to study, just studying pieces, looking at the flow of the form line. You never really understand it until you do it yourself."

"It's a challenge, and I enjoy it."

Naccarella grew up in Vancouver, but saidmoving to Bella Coola, B.C. and attending the Freda Diesing School helped her reconnect with her culture through songs, dances, even potlatch ceremonies.

"One thing I want to do is help bring back traditions with the art by creating pieces to bring them back out," she said.

To hear the full story, click the audio labelled:Terrace Art Gallery showing works by students of Freda Diesing School