My family have been commercial fisherman here for 3 generations.   My father, Art Bagshaw ran packers and was a commercial gill-netter, and his father came over from England and was also a gill-net fisherman in Prince Rupert.
My mother Freda Courtney, nee Jones, is Haida from the Queen Charlotte Islands.  The  Haida's  have always, and still do rely on the ocean for the main part of thier diet. 

As an artist I have a need to create pieces that have meaning to me and create awareness and it is up to us to protect the gifts the creator has given us.   Through these  floats I hope to create awarness  of how  the  great  Pacific ocean has provided for us all on this coast and hopfully , if we treat it with respect, it will continue to provide for for our future gererations.

These floats have experienced the furry of the Pacific ocean, its gentleness and it's beauty.  They have held the nets that caught the bountiful great pacific wild salmon.  They hold the spirits of the wild and brave westcoast fisherman that fished them! 

Today, we seem to live in a world that seems to only respect the mighty dollar.  A take what you can get world where there seems to be no thought of the future and what will be left for our granchildren.  A throw away world where we think everything can be replaced.  Fishfarms are our answer to the depletion of our wild salmon, however, the fishfarms are said to be a large contributing factor to why our wild salmon are becoming depleted.  Fish farms are taking over out beautiful coastal paradise and distroying not only our wild salmon, but also other sea life.  We seem to not know,or to have forgotten that everything is connected.  When the wild salmon are gone....we break the chain...and when the chain is broken the bears, the eagles, the whales, and all other living species, will suffer.  We are a part of that chain of life and we will also suffer.
 We all leave our footprint on our mother earth.  What will your footprint say?  Will it say because of me this world is a better place for our children, or will it say, because of me, our children will never know the beauty of our wild pacific coast!  One person can make a difference.  One of my favorite saying is "Every change on this earth started with one persons thought, one persons dream." 
The Pacific ocean is not just a part of our culture, it is our culture.
When I am troubled.....when I need to find a solution...when I need to find inspiration I go the sea.  It was a trip to the seaside that started my journey as an artist.  It was the sea, the wild salmon, that provided my family with the means to keep us healthy and alive.   For all these gifts I am grateful!  I am humbled by its power and awesome beauty. 

Speak out and help protect our circle of life, leave a gentle footprint that says I cared.  
Howa,
Carol Young Bagshaw