PIBDC

PIBDC "SPOTLIGHT"

FEATURED BUSINESS

“Iron Indian Steelworks”

Penticton Indian Band Development Corporation has been working closely with Iron Indian Steel- works to establish a niche in the business and artistic world. Iron Indian has been working to establish itself as the only first nation Iron works company in BC. They are establishing on art projects along with a strong client base through marketing techniques.

The Penticton Indian Band Development Corporation first hired Clint George in 2009 to design a steel eagle statue to present to our chief who coming to the end of his term. Since then, we help find commissioned pieces for Clint to design various steel art pieces that we use to present different elected official as gifts. Clint and his father (Grant George) have designed and created war shields, head-dresses, spears, eagles, peace pipes, and even flower bouquets---all out of metals! Their business Iron Indian is now an up-and -coming steel art business that receives custom orders from, other native bands, busi- nesses and private clients.

Iron Indian can be contacted:
Phone: (250) 486-3669 Email: [email protected]

FEATURED ARTISTS

"KRUGER DeZines Graf-X"

Patsy Kruger is a local artist, born and raised on the Penticton Indian Reserve. She developed skills and talent in a vast array of art mediums from an early age. Kruger specializes in free-hand and computer-generated graphics. She has worked extensively on sculpture, acrylic painting and carving, and recently added a new skill in animation, and web page design. In 1993, Kruger created KRUGER deZines Graf-X, focusing on collaborating mixed media, painting, carving and computer-generated art, into a small, home based business.

“In keeping up with the times, having to continuously build on new techniques for different media art, I’ve found that this is the way of the future. I truly appreciate the value of our Okanagan style in art. I have worked hard in establishing a template that artists can utilize when creating art that reflects the Okanagan style. Using our local pictographs as a guideline, the artists can stylize the aesthetics in Syilx artistry and bring forward who we are, through their art. It’s important that we focus, not on what the stereotypical art theories are, through the Coast Salish style, but through our own style that embellishes our cultural background

“The different styles that I specialize in are digital imaging, or graphics, carving, acrylic painting, street art, sculpturing and mixed media. I have incorporated more pictograph-type metaphors in my work because I believe that is where the root of our artistry comes from. By observing the local, historic pictographs, on the rocks, you see the details and meaning behind them. They were created by our people, generations ago. There is a purpose behind them and we need to recognize those as a part of who we are.”

~Patsy Kruger
KRUGER DeZines Graf-X