Skip to content

Roger Smith, Naad Kaa,wang, wins top art award for Chilkat-inspired painting

Artist Roger Smith, Naad Kaa,wang, has won a top prize from Northwest Community College for a painting inspired by a traditional Chilkat blanket.
10621989_web1_Web_Roger-Smith
Roger Smith, Naad Kaa,wang, stands with his award-winning painting at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art. The free-hand design is painted on wood and embellished with wool to mimic the traditional Chilkat blanket design that inspired it. (Submitted/Northwest Community College)

Artist Roger Smith, Naad Kaa,wang, has won a top prize from Northwest Community College for a painting inspired by a traditional Chilkat blanket.

“This award means a lot,” said Smith, a Haida artist of the Taalth Laanaas clan who is studying fine art at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art.

“I’ve worked really hard on this piece since the beginning of January and it’s a great accomplishment.”

The NWCC President’s Art Award comes with a $1,000 prize. Smith’s painting will also become part of the college’s permanent collection, and a limited number of prints will be produced as gifts.

This year’s honourary mention was awarded to Jamie Davis, Xpiee, for her two-piece Nisga’a bentwood box design on wood panels.