Our Team

Brandon Gabriel- Kwelexwelsten

Born and raised on the Kwantlen First Nation Reserve in Fort Langley BC, Canada. He was educated in Cultural Anthropology, Visual Art, and Marketing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, then received his Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Art from the prestigious Emily Carr University of Fine Art and Design (2006).

Brandon is a multi-talented contemporary mixed media artist who specializes in painting, drawing, graphic design, architectural design concepts, and public art installations.

His work has been exhibited in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, USA, and across Canada.

specializes in:

• Architectural Conceptual Design

• Public Art Installations

• Graphic Design

• Painting

• Drawing

• Consulting

• Education Modules for all ages and institutional settings

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Melinda Kachina Bige

◦I am a Nehiyaw, Dene ts'ekwi from Denesuline lands of Lutsel K'e. I teach at Kwantlen University which is located on the land & waters of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen,& Musqueam people, where I also grew up. I am an ?ene to my daughter Piyesis (Jamie) and Tthen (Isadore), and a partner to Brandon Gabriel who belongs to the Kwantlen Nation. I come from the Thomas, Dumais, Crookedhand, families, and was fortunate to have a very loving relationship my English Grandmother Shirley Bige and had a brief Childhood relationship to my Setsie John Thomas. My Setsone Mary Crookedhand is still alive and I am fortunate to know her, and her incredibly fierce daughter Theresa Crookedhand who is always encouraging me.

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I have been fortunate enough to have attained a degree in Sociology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and a Masters in Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria. My education experience was wrought with trials and tribulations as I navigated the many colonial violence's embedded in these institutions. My goal in my academic career is to hold space for Indigenous intelligence's, and model how the world can change to create equity for all our people, and repatriation of land, and identity.

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Jonas Bige

Jonas Bige is an urban Łutselkʼe Dene & Plains Cree carver and visual artist. He resides on Vancouver Island and is from the lower mainland, of so-called British Columbia, where so much of his art draws influence. His learning comes from mentorship by Kwantlen artist Brandon Gabriel in Salish design artwork and carving. From a young age Jonas immersed in the North Western carving style and learned to hold a knife at the age of eleven. He’s worked with Brandon Gabriel on multiple houseposts as artist, carver and technician. Also, Jonas carved a large-scale commissioned art pieces with Brandon Gabriel for many large, medium, and small scale projects throughout Metro-Vancouver.