University Art Collections supports emerging Coast Salish artists’ residency
May 06, 2026
As we continue to build relationships with Coast Salish artists and collaborate with the Victoria arts community, the University Art Collections is pleased to support an artists’ residency for Atheana Picha and Dahlila Charlie through June 2026.
The residency coincides with the exhibition Shux Shux and the Island: A Season of Honouring Our Grandmothers’ Healing Journey curated by Nadine Spence at Open Space Arts Society until June 20. During this time, artists Dahlila Charlie and Atheana Picha will be conducting research and creating new work. A highlight for UAC staff was a visit with Dahlila at the Legacy Art Gallery Downtown to view Coast Salish art and belongings from the University Art Collections.
We were honoured that UVic Elders in Residence Doug and Kathy LaFortune joined us to guide our work in a good way to learn more about the Coast Salish belongings in our collection. Thank you to Curator of Indigenous Art and Engagement and Open Space Board President Lorilee Wastasecoot for facilitating the residency. We look forward to seeing the new works of these two artists and to future collaborations. We also acknowledge the BC Arts Council for partial funding support.
Biographies
Dahlila Charlie is a Coast Salish artist, educator, and community collaborator from Beecher Bay First Nation, based in Victoria, BC. She creates vibrant acrylic paintings and murals that blend traditional Coast Salish formline with realism and nature, often depicting strong, resilient women to share cultural teachings and stories. “I grew up surrounded by artistic and creative people which has inspired me to become an artist myself. The type of artwork I like to create is to draw from stories, myths and cultural teachings that incorporate Coast Salish formline with nature and realism in acrylic paint medium. Painting has always been a passion of mine. I like creating personal artworks, as well as participating in different mural projects in Victoria. Through my artwork I can connect to my roots as an Indigenous woman and use it as a way to share my thoughts and ideas to evolve an artist.”
Atheana Picha is a Coast Salish artist from the Kwantlen First Nation, and her grandmother was from Tsartlip. Atheana was given the name Nash’mene’ta’naht by Gerry Oleman from the St’at’imc First Nation, which translates to “Go-getter Woman.” Born in Vancouver in 1999, she grew up and works out of Richmond, BC. She is an interdisciplinary artist, working mostly in two-dimensional media. Atheana has been doing two apprenticeships learning Salish wool weaving with Musqueam weaver Debra Sparrow since 2019, and learning silver engraving, wood carving, and toolmaking with Squamish artist and educator Aaron Nelson-Moody since 2018. She has been focused on centring Coast Salish way of life through learning teachings from her elders as often as possible. Atheana’s practice is grounded in learning more about Salish design through studying the old pieces, observing nature, and learning from her elders and teachers.