About
Jessie Recalma photographed by Taryn Pickard 2019. Ocean Hyland photographed by Jessie at Qualicum Bay 2020
Ocean Hyland/ shḵwen̓/ ts;simtelot
Ocean Hyland is an artist who works in the realms of painting and digital design. Along with her practices she enjoys participating in language revitalization of coast Salish languages.. Ocean currently lives in Qualicum Bay on Vancouver Island.
As a young woman, Ocean received the ancestral name ts;simtelot which was shared with her by her Mother. This name has been passed down through her family on her Cheam side. On her matrilineal side she is Tsleil Waututh, Squamish, Cheam, Hawaiian, and Chinese. Through her father she is Scottish and Irish. The richness and diversity of her cultural heritage is what inspires Ocean in her many art practices.
Ocean has studied at both Native education college specializing in NWC jewelry arts, and at Simon Fraser University focusing on the sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim, building up her proficiency in one of her mother tongues. She has also gained valuable knowledge apprenticing with creators `Zachary George and Aaron Nelson Moody.
Jessie, Ocean and their son Tayash
Jessie Recalma/ Xwulqsheynum
Jessie Recalma is a Coast Salish artist and a member of Qualicum First nation. Jessie grew up watching his grandfather create Indigenous works of art. His grandfather shared this knowledge and passed on the tools to Jessie which sparked his passion for carving. A carving knife that his grandfather gifted to him would be the first of many carving tools that are now used to create a unique blend of contemporary and traditional Coast Salish style. While carving is one of Jessie’s favourite mediums to work with, he also devotes his time to painting, digital design, and Indigenous languages. Jessie currently works out of his home studio. His works can be viewed on his instagram page instagram.com/saatlamarts or his facebook page
facebook.com/saatlamarts
The name Saatlam Arts is rooted in the name of an old village site “Saatlam” or “Place of Green Leaves”. Jessie felt it suitable to connect this old place name to his work as a nod to the ancestors of his home territory