We have continued our study of Canadian artists by looking at the work of Musqueam Coast Salish artist Susan Point. Much of Susan Point’s work is inspired by spindle whorls. A spindle whorl is a tool that Coast Salish women traditionally used to prepare wool for garments and blankets. It is a disk made of wood or other material with a rod in the middle so the disk can spin.

Susan Point uses the shape of a spindle whorl as inspiration and incorporates Coast Salish design elements to create contemporary art. You may have seen her art around Vancouver, including in the Vancouver International Airport where “Flight (Spindle Whorl)”, the largest spindle whorl in the world, is displayed on a stone waterfall.

For our own take on spindle whorl art, I asked the students to focus on using “repetition in the round”, a technique where one image or design is repeated in a circular shape. I also invited them to choose an element of nature that they connect with to inspire their art. Using Coast Salish design elements was optional.

We hope you enjoy our spindle whorl masterpieces!