"Wisdom From Old Joe"

At a feast Alexander, Bill's son, came up to "Old Joe". Old Joe is telling those assembled that the future is in the children, that society has to wake up and plan for the well being of the children.

As an artist I have been experimenting with all kinds of subject matter (mostly scenic wildlife)
and blending in the aboriginal design flavors of my Tsimshian Indian heritage. I have been
educated on the traditions of my ancestors who were raised with the understanding that if
you respected mother earth and gave thanks to the Creator by respecting His gifts of nature,
then we could survive together for ever on this precious earth.

In recent years I have done creative work for NASA and the Canadian Space agency , and more
recently with a CSA program called Space for Species. This youth educational program teaches
young people about the challenges of 5 different endangered species, which are monitored via
satellite technology and portaled through the internet for the observance of school classroom
programs. This really opened my eyes to the necessity of being actively concerned about our
earth and all the innocent creatures that live on it.

Three species closer to home is the spiritbear (kermode), salmon and the first growth red
cedar trees (not a creature I know but a very important living species ). These are very
important to all of us here on the west coast, and are being destroyed or endangered dramatically at a very fast rate . Why should we care? Good question. Mainly because they can never be replaced ( except maybe the trees if they have 400 to 500 years to grow again) , salmon and bears need each other , we need them for food, beauty and balance , and for our future generations .

I don't want to carry on too long on these very loaded topics , but I do want to stress
the importance of getting involved and being motivated to do something. Even if it's one e-mail,
written letter, or a phone call to your local politician, most importantly the environmentally
friendly one .Support him or her in their quest to stand for what is important to our children
and theirs. These are the important foundational teachings of my ancestors. Respect one another and the earth we live on.

I hope that through my art and creativity , that I can spread the message of concerns,
from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my spirit, I want to make a difference.
Please support the linked organizations on my site ,and may the Lord bless you. Thanks