10 Planet of the Arts / March 1997

By Peter George Jr.

y name its Peter George
Jr. from the Carrier tribe.

(| am not related to Chief Dan George. Sorry.)

1%
~

My reserve is called Nadleh Whut’en (‘the place where the
Salmon return’). | got my hunger for art through my uncle
Ronnie at the early age of six. He had a lot of drawings of
animals, scenery and people either made up or drawn from
school portraits. | later viewed some nice pencil sketches of
naked women drawn from Playboy magazines. Of course my
uncle wasn’t around to scold me. It’s sad my uncle couldn’t
afford models or anything beyond charcoal and stacks of
paper. | don’t think my Grandparents would have allowed
naked people posing for my uncle. He had a fine ear for
music and always had a guitar slung on his back.

My name ts Peter George Jr.
from the Carrier tribe.

Ever since at the age of six viewing my Uncle Ronnie's pencil
drawings, I’ve been hooked on the two-dimensional process.
All throughout elementary and high school | had fellow stu-
dents crowd around my desk, watching me draw. | had
doodles of hot cars sketched all over my notebooks. A
highway ran by my school (St Joseph’s Elementary School in
Vanderhoof) and I'd watch the cars race by with their loud
engines roaring, in a daydreaming mood. School work took
second place.

Uncle Ronnie

_ sketch these pictures into my

(WW) Feature

In high school (Prince George
College) | discovered Norman
Rockwell in the school library.
There were residential hostels
for First Nations students — a
set of buildings set aside for
boys and girls. The residential
school had been nicknamed
“The Hill” after the correction-
al institution on the other side
of Prince George. Another
artist | like is Ken Danby. My =
grade five teacher Ms. Ludwig,
a nice big woman, had signed
hockey sticks from the
Minnesota North Stars and the
picture “At the Crease” (a
goalie ready for a shot) - one
of Ken Danby’s pictures. To me
the goalie was real.

| remember in grade one
finding a huge book of all the
great Chiefs, Sitting Bull, Chief
Joseph and Geronimo. In high
school my roommate Max
Prince had huge pin-up posters
of Loni Anderson and I’d

huge sketchbook minus the
hands. After high school by the
way, | left all my drawings and
paintings that I’d accumulated
through high school in my art
teacher Paul Batley’s classroom
and the janitors threw every-
thing away.

In 1983 | received a muscle
and fitness body building mag-
azine from my mother and |
drew all the people who posed
for that magazine. Once again
| collected a new batch of
sketchbooks. I’d sketch my
nephews whom I'd often look
after. | had to draw fast
because children don’t have
the time of day to be still for
their portraits. They would
rather laugh and play. In
between jobs as a carpenter,
salmon enhancement techni-
cian and cabinet builder | had
a sketchbook going.

My name ts Peter George Jr.
from the Carrier tribe.

In the late summer of 1985 | decided to visit my sister Vivian
in Morice Town and help her load up her deep freezer full of
salmon. | rode my ten-speed bike the 400 or so miles there; |
wanted to see some of the land before someone logs all the
trees.

My family had and still have a favourite pastime: bingo.
There’s a lot of different people | could draw between
games. Then I'd spend a lot of time in Tim Horton's sketching
people who come and go. | had to draw fast. I'd rather draw
people without them posing to get a more natural gesture.
All this coffee drinking paid off. In December 1991 | got
laid off from my cabinet making job for the lack of jobs the
shop was receiving. Then | taught art for a couple of weeks
at a youth correctional institution. Only a couple of young
teenagers came to the class. So all | did was paint Cher on
the back of a student's vest. And painted my cat cartoon
Poor Boose on the hallway windows dressed in a Santa hat.

My Name Is

Poor Boose, acrylic on canvas

My name ts Peter George Jr.
from the Carrier tribe.

My Grandpa always wore his ballcap leaning to the right
side. And he would always dress nice, a nice shirt and dress
pants and nice dress shoes. These were his work clothes. My
Grandpa is a carpenter. Drinking took half of his time and
when he was staggeringly drunk he'd tell me “Bobo, don’t
drink.” It was like someone drowning would say to a
younger person “Go save yourself.”

o
?

In Prince George, where | moved to in January 1986, there
isn't anyone who goes around with a sketchbook. | decided
to apply to Emily Carr Institute and my mother and
stepfather drove 600 miles all through the night to get me
and my stack of sketchbooks there in time for my interview. |
carried one two-foot-high stack of sketchbooks into the .
school and my mother carried the other. Other people had
fancy black carrying cases. This intimidated me until | showed
my current sketchbook to the interviewers. They had no time
to look through the other sketchbooks but the interview
went well.

On our way home, we stopped to get some coffee while
my mother slept. On the highway we rolled along. All of a
sudden | heard a loud bang on the roof of the station wagon
and | quickly looked through the back window in time to see
my mother’s Samsonite suitcase hit the pavement hard and
slide towards the ditch. I'd forgotten that | put the suitcase
on the roof while moving things around at our last stop. My
stepfather Joe backed up the vehicle the quarter mile and |
retrieved the suitcase, which was as good as the commercials
claim. All through the commotion my mother slept.

On August 14th (my 30th birthday) | received a letter
from Emily Carr Institute telling me that I'd been accepted.
10 Planet of the Arts / March 1997

By Peter George Jr.

y name is Peter George
Jr. from the Carrier tribe.

{am not related to Chief Dan George. sory)

My reserve is called Nadleh Whut'en (the place where the
Salmon return). | got my hunger for art through my uncle
Ronnie atthe early age of six. He had a lot of drawings of
‘animals, scenery and people either made up or drawn from
School portraits ater viewed some nice pencil sketches of
raked women drawn from Playboy magazines. Of course my
Uncle wasn't around to scold me, It's sad my uncle couldn't
afford models or anything beyond charcoal and stacks of
paper. don't think my Grandparents would have allowed
faked people posing for my uncle. He had a fine ear for
‘music and always had a guitar slung on his back

My name is Peter George Jr.
from the Carrier tribe.

Ever since at the age of six viewing my Uncle Ronnie's pencil
drawings, Ive been hooked on the two-dimensional process.
All throughout elementary and high school | had fellow stu-
ents crowd around my desk, watching me draw. had
‘oodles of hot cars sketched all over my notebooks. A
highway ran by my school (St Joseph's Elementary Schoo! in
Vanderhoof) and td watch the cars race by with their loud
engines roaring in a daydreaming mood. School work took
second place.

(WW Feature

In high schoo! (Prince George
College) | discovered Norman
Rockwell in the schoo! library.
There were residential hostels
for First Nations students a
Set of buildings set aside for
boys and gies. The residential
school had been nicknamed
“The Hill” after the correction-
a institution on the other side
Of Prince George. Another
artist lke is Ken Danby. My =
‘grade five teacher Ms. Ludwig,
3 nice big woman, had signed
hhockey sticks from the
‘Minnesota North stars and the
picture “At the Crease” (a
‘goalie ready fora shot) ~ one
‘of Ken Danby’ pictures. To me
the goalie was real,

Iemember in grade one
finding 2 huge book ofall the
‘great Chie, sitting Bul, Chiet
Joseph and Geronimo. In high
School my roommate Max
Prince had huge pin-up posters
‘ofLoni Anderson and 'é
Sketch these pictures into my
huge sketchbook minus the
hands. After high school by the
‘way, | eft all my drawings and
paintings that Pd accumolated
‘through high school in my art
‘teacher Paul Batley’ classroom
‘and the janitors threw every-
‘thing away.

In 1983 | received a muscle
‘and fitness body building mag:
azine from my mother and |
‘drew al the people who posed
{or that magazine. Once again
Teollected a new batch of
sketchbooks. 'd sketch my
nephews whom I'd often look
after had to draw fast
Because children don't have
the time of day to be still for
their portraits, They would
rather laugh and play. In
between jobs as a carpente
salmon enhancement techn
dian and cabinet builder had
‘sketchbook going,

My name is Peter George Jr.
from the Carrier tribe.

In the late summer of 1985 I decided to visit my sister Vivian
in Morice Town and help her load up her deep freezer full of
‘salmon. | rode my ten-speed bike the 400 oso miles there; |
‘wanted to see some of the land before someone logs all the

‘My family had and stil have a favourite pastime: bingo.
There’ a lot of different people I could draw between
‘games. Then Fd spend a lot of time in Tim Horton’ sketching
people who come and go. had to draw fast. rather draw
people without them posing to get a more natural gesture
All this coffee drinking paid off. in December 1991 | got
laid off from my cabinet making job forthe lack of jobs the
shop was receiving. Then I taught art for a couple of weeks
‘ta youth correctional institution, Only a couple of young
‘teenagers came tothe clas. So al | did was paint Cher on
the back of a student’ vest. And painted my cat cartoon
Poor Boose on the hallway windows dressed ina Santa hat.

Poor Bose, scion canvas

My name is Peter George Jr.
from the Carrier tribe.

My Grandpa always wore his balcap leaning to the right
side. And he would always dress nice, a nice shirt and dress
pants and nice dress shoes. These were his work clothes. My
‘Grandpa is a carpenter. Drinking took half of his time and
when he was staggeringly drunk he'd tell me “Bobo, don't
“rink.” twas like someone drowning Would say to 3
younger person "Go save yourself.”

In Prince George, where | moved to in January 1986, there
isn't anyone who goes around with a sketchbook. | decided
+0.apply to Emily Car Institute and my mother and
stepfather drove 600 mile ll through the night to get me
‘and my stack of sketchbooks therein time for my interview.
Carried one two-foot-high stack of sketchbooks into the
School and my mother caried the other. Other people had
fancy black carrying cases. This intimidated me Until showed
im current sketchbook to the interviewers. They had no time
10 ook through the other sketchbooks but the interview
went well

(On our way home, we stopped to get some coffee while
my mother slept. On the highway we rolled along. All of a
Sudden | heard a loud bang on the roof of the station wagon
‘and I quickly looked through the back window in time to see
‘my mother’s Samsonite suitcase hit the pavement hard and
slide towards the ditch. forgotten that | put the suitcase
on the roof while moving things around at our last stop. My
Stepfather Joe backed up the vehicle the quarter mile and |
Fetrieved the suitcase, which was a5 good as the commercials
{laim. All through the commotion my mother sie

‘On August 14th (my 30th birthday) I recived a letter
from Emily Car Insitute telling me that'd been accepted.