Violet's Formline Workshop

By Jayna Lojang and Oksana Baerg

Photos by Frankie Lindstrom 

Artist Violet Gatensby hosted a workshop on formline for C/TFN Citizens in Carcross this week. 

About seven students attended the two-day workshop, which was held in the supportive housing building on the shore of Bennett Lake.  On the second day, Gatensby focused on ovoids - the rounded forms which help make up the base design of much of traditional formline work.

Gatensby says ovoids are foundational to the artform. “Ovoids are the main staple in formline design and without a nice ovoid, your whole design just won't be right until you get that ovoid just right.”

Gatensby should know. She's spent years perfecting her craft.

But she didn't always see a future for herself in the arts. 

“I've always really enjoyed creating artwork. At one point, I didn't really think that it was something that I would pursue as a career,” she said

A visit from a family friend changed that.

“He bought a painting that was half finished that I had started. And that was enough for me to think, well, maybe I can do this as a living.” 

Eventually she attended the fine arts program at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art in Vancouver.

Gatensby says she hopes to see youth learn from her experience, and find an even more direct route into a career in the arts.

"It's not really a gift until you give it away," she says.