Meet TEMOSEṈ

TEMOSEṈ laying out part of the framing for the Untitled ṮEṮÁĆES map.

TEMOSEṈ (aka Chazz Elliott, Charles Elliott Jr.) was born into W̱SÁNEĆ and lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) Nations and was raised and still lives and works in W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip First Nation).

TEMOSEṈ learned about Coast Salish art and W̱SÁNEĆ teachings as a young child and art is in the family: his mother, Myrna Crossley-Elliott, is a Salish blanket weaver and his late father, TEMOSEṈŦET (Charles Elliott Sr.), was a master carver and artist who received the Order of British Columbia in 2005 for his work. TEMOSEṈ’s brother Mathew Parlby-Elliott also carves and the two often work closely together on various projects out of TEMOSEṈ’s studio in W̱JOȽEȽP.

TEMOSEṈ’s pieces reflect the histories, narratives, and knowledges of W̱SÁNEĆ culture through new approaches and media. TEMOSEṈ has pieces in various private collections around the globe. Locally, TEMOSEṈ has works at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, First Peoples Cultural Council, and Sidney Town Hall. In the summer of 2022, TEMOSEṈ and his family had a group show, on Salt Spring Island, called JSIṈSET⏤ŚW̱ELO₭E (Family Growing Ourselves Up), which you can read about on the Salt Spring Arts website.

In our early conversations about what would become the Untitled ṮEṮÁĆES map, we were both excited to work in new mediums and to incorporate technology elements: the sound units and the LED lighting. TEMOSEṈ and I are already chatting about another project that could incorporate sensor-based technologies in new ways.

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