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Back to The Cairn New to the art collections at The Whyte is a stunning piece of Canadian heritage: Fishing Camp, the Rockies, an oil painting by John Arthur Fraser R.C.A. (British, 1838-1898), recently donated by Grit and Scott McCreath. Originally displayed in the in the inaugural exhibition of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) in 1880, this painting depicts the striking Mt. Carroll (now Mt. Macdonald) near Rogers Pass, a landmark of Fraser's early Canadian landscapes. Having such a rare work outside a public collection is remarkable, making the McCreaths’ donation an extraordinary contribution to Canadian art. “We chose to donate the Fraser painting in recognition of the outstanding contributions Anne Ewen and Donna Livingstone have made to the museum, as well as to honour the extraordinary relationship we shared with these two gifted women,” shared Grit and Scott. “Working alongside them has been a true pleasure.” The McCreaths felt that this significant piece of Canadian history was fitting to be cherished and shared with the public at The Whyte, a cultural pillar of the Canadian Rockies. As they explained, “This painting holds deep historical importance. Fraser was commissioned to document the West and the Rockies by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) president during its construction. A member of the famous ‘Railway Painters,’ Fraser captured scenes from the largest construction project in Canadian history. The mountain depicted, originally named Mt. Carroll after the CPR engineer who developed its difficult tunnel route, was later renamed Mt. Macdonald to honour Canada’s first Prime Minister.” Fraser's contributions to Canadian art were far-reaching. Initially hired by William Notman’s Montreal photographic firm in 1860, his watercolour and oil paintings were influenced by photography, exhibiting regularly with the Art Association of Montreal. Relocating to Toronto in 1868, Fraser co-founded Notman & Fraser, a celebrated photographic firm, and influenced a generation of artists, including Robert Gagen, Homer Watson, George Reid, and Horatio Walker. Selected for the first CPR pass program in 1886 alongside O’Brien and John Collins Forbes, Fraser exhibited internationally at venues such as the National Academy in London, the Paris Salon, and the Chicago World’s Fair, where he was awarded a medal. This historic Fraser painting now finds its home at The Whyte where it will be cherished, adding a profound layer to the museum's rich tapestry of Canadian heritage. Learn more about our collections and culture by visiting the current exhibitions at The Whyte! Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. at 111 Bear Street, Banff, AB. Back to The Cairn

By Amie Lalonde and Nick Baggaley Back to The Cairn In this multi-authored review of the Jon Whyte Award winner "Alpine Rising: Sherpas, Baltis, and the Triumph of Local Climbers in the Greater Ranges" by Bernadette McDonald, enjoy two perspectives of insights from a mountain enthusiast and a guide. From the Perspective of Amie Lalonde, Registrar at The Whyte and mountain climbing neophyte. McDonald tells the story of local climbers in the Himalaya and Karakorum with great care, letting the individuals who have been ignored by history have their stories told - often in their own words through her deep archival research and multitude of interviews. It is a short book that covers quite a lot of history – from the 1920s to present day. As a casual climber and general mountain enthusiast, I enjoyed reading the stories of the Sherpas and Nepalis who were integral to early mountaineering attempts of K2, Nanga Parbat, and Everest; people who are largely absent from the original European/American accounts of these climbs. While the treatment of these men (and some women) by the Western mountaineers may have been well known to those who are already well-read on these expeditions, for me, some of the first-person accounts of the lack of food and sub-standard gear the porters were given by the leaders of the expeditions was quite shocking. I found that it sometimes became a bit of a list of names, dates, and mountains that were hard to distinguish. I felt that it could easily be 200 or 300 pages longer and provide a bit better exposition for readers like me who don’t have a strong knowledge base on the area and the history of major expeditions. I appreciated McDonald’s discussion of the differences in western perception and opportunity between Nepali and Pakistani porters and climbers and how the explosion in local guiding operations in Nepal has spilled into Pakistan, often putting the Pakistani climbers in similar positions the Nepalis were in a century ago. Valuable too, is McDonald’s exploration of the various reasons porters and climbers continue to scale the world’s most dangerous behemoths: from the economic impacts on communities and families, to personal status and local fame, and to the same sort of deep need that grips mountaineers world over: “It is my passion, and I cannot live without it” – Ali Sadpara The book ends with the modern era, with climbers such as Nimsdai and Mingma G Sherpa who are making sure the world knows their names and finally pays local climbers the attention and respect they have deserved for a century. From the Perspective of Nick Baggaley, ACMG Apprentice Alpine Guide, guidebook author, and general mountain nerd. "Alpine Rising" is a meticulously researched, very readable and very overdue addition to the pantheon of Himalayan and Karakoram mountain histories. Bernadette McDonald deftly weaves together a tapestry of local Pakistani, Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan personalities to fill in the blank spaces left by books like Herzog’s "Annapurna," Bonatti’s "The Mountains of My Life" along with more modern expedition classics like Bonington’s "Everest: The Hard Way." McDonald starts with a retelling of the classic early Himalayan and Karakoram explorations, with a focus on the highest peaks - mostly Everest and K2, but with digressions to the remaining 8000m mountains in the ranges. Her narrative focuses the stories of the porters, the locals like the Sherpa emigres in Darjeeling and the villagers of Gilgit-Baltistan who started off working as expedition workers for meager subsistence wages, and who climbed (the Rising in the title) to the modern day, where they demand their inclusion as equals in the mountain economy of the Himalaya and Karakoram. The book is compulsively readable, while perhaps a little inaccessible to those unfamiliar with the long history of expeditions to the Karakoram and Himalaya. McDonald brings her writing experience from her past books like "Art of Freedom" and "Alpine Warriors" to write a very well-crafted and non-jargony history. Where the book shines strongest is in all its character studies. In sections ranging in length from paragraphs to full chapters, McDonald tells the stories of both well-known and unknown Baltis, Bhotias, Shimshalis, Sherpas, and all the panoply of previously-unseen climbers and porters who were critical to the successes and failures of Western expeditions all through the great peaks of Asia. With an additional eye towards their lives off of the great peaks, she brings to the forefront local legends like Ang Tharkay, Ali and Ali Raza Sadpara, and Little Karim, while shedding new light on the stories of not only well-known climbers like Mingma G Sherpa, Nirmal (Nims) Purja, Tenzing Norgay and Sajid Sadpara, but also unknowns like Mehdi Amir (critical to the first ascent of K2), Dawa Tenzing (deputy sirdar on the first ascent of Everest) and their struggles later in life. Unfortunately, it seems like the sheer breadth of these character studies is perhaps also the book’s undoing. The narrative thread trails off near the later half of the book, overborne by the number of different vignettes. Still, the book barely suffers from this, as the stories in the final few chapters illustrate the book’s overall thesis - that local climbers, after a long history of being supporting characters in Western narratives, are very ready and very willing to take center stage in their home mountains. There will always be more stories to be told about local climbers, local guides and their struggles in the Karakoram and Himalaya, but McDonald’s book provides a strong foundation for any of these. Pick up your own copy of "Alpine Rising" at the Book Shop at The Whyte - open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.! Back to The Cairn

In June of 2024, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies released the book “To See What He Saw: J.E.H. MacDonald and the O’Hara Years, 1924 to 1932” to accompany the show J.E.H. MacDonald: The O'Hara Era . The book, written by retired geologists Stanley Munn and Patty Cucman, is the culmination of almost 20 years of searching for and documenting MacDonald’s paint sites at Lake O’Hara. On Thursday, June 27, Patty sat down with Chic Scott to tell the story of how the book came about. It all began inauspiciously in 2003—an innocent flirtation on a warm July evening. Art historian Lisa Christiansen, was in Le Relais at Lake O’Hara, talking about her hiking guide to the art of J.E.H. MacDonald at O’Hara. During the talk, someone said that exact painting locations could never be found. Stan and Patty believed this to be true but resolved to at least find the location of the famous Opabin “Shalesplitters” photo. And so it began. Finally in 2006 the photo location was found—thanks to the geology. It was easy to see that it was also a painting location and that the interpretation was incredibly literal. That week, the pair found several paint sites and sat upon the very rocks that MacDonald had sat upon to paint. This opened their eyes to a whole new O’Hara world at their boot tips. The flirtation soon became much more serious. Winters were spent hunting for painting images and reading diaries and letters. During O’Hara trips, images printed on card stock dictated hiking destinations. Artefacts and paint on rocks were found and almost 200 paint sites were photographed. The flirtation had blossomed into a true romance. The pair chose not to tell this personal story of exploration and discovery in their book, “To See What He Saw”, but in this Fireside Chat we will get to share their adventure. As Patty says, “It has been so much work but also so much just plain fun—as true love often is.”

Back to the Cairn Don Watkins, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation, is very pleased to announce the appointment of David Cox as the new CEO of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, effective June 17, 2024. “We are delighted that David will be bringing his strong leadership skills and knowledge of the community to the Whyte at this exciting point in our development,” says Watkins. The Whyte Museum was formed in 1968 through the vision and legacy of Banff artists Peter and Catharine Whyte. Its impressive collection of art, artifacts, photography, archival materials, and Indigenous stories showcases the amazing people and events that have shaped the cultural heritage of the Canadian Rockies. Cox is familiar with the Whyte, having served on the Board of Directors from 2013 to 2019. He has also served in active leadership roles at the Banff Centre, including Vice President, Business Affairs, and General Counsel. As Director of External and Community Relations at the Centre, he developed strong ties in the community. He and his family have lived in Banff for over sixteen years and enjoy all forms of mountain sports. “I look forward to the next chapter in the development of this remarkable organization while honoring the legacy of Peter and Catharine Whyte,” he says. Cox is assuming the role of Donna Livingstone, who is retiring as CEO after successfully taking the Whyte through the pandemic, creating a new focus of connecting people to nature, and establishing the Whyte’s national reputation through exhibitions and new collaborations. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Nicole Ensing, Project Archivist Discover the rich history of Louis Crosby and his family through the textual records of the Crosby Family Fonds, which are now accessible to researchers in the Archives and Special Collections of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. The textual records consist of personal and business records pertaining to Louis and Gertrude (née Seaton) Crosby and their family in Banff. Louis S. Crosby was born in 1887, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Crosby arrived in Banff in 1907, he started working for the Brewster Brothers Transport Company. Crosby was involved with the Brewster Transport Company in many roles from 1907 to 1964, finally serving as company president from1947 until his death in 1964. Louis Crosby married Gertrude Seaton, the daughter of Henry Francis Seaton and Mary Crompton Seaton of Yorkshire, England. Together, Louis and Gertrude Crosby raised five children in Banff, Frederick born in 1913, Douglas born in 1915, Marion born in 1916, Marjorie born in 1918 and Robert in 1921 in Banff. Deer Lodge: The Core of the Family Business The Crosby family may be best known for their ownership and management of Deer Lodge, a teahouse that turned into a hotel that operated during the summer months at Lake Louise. Originating in 1921, Louis and Gertrude Crosby’s log tea house was originally called the Lake Louise Trading Company at Lake Louise. By 1925, the establishment had expanded to include six guest rooms for overnight accommodation and was eventually renamed Deer Lodge in 1928. It continued to grow, eventually reaching 75 rooms. Gertrude, the proprietor of Deer Lodge, managed all of the business operations and was eventually succeeded in that role by her sons Frederick and then Robert Crosby. Deer Lodge was finally sold to the O’Connor family in 1982 and is now part of Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts.   In a theme that runs through the Crosby family fonds, the family diversified their businesses, also managing the Inglenook Cafeteria, the Totem Shop, and the Lake Louise Service Station, all at Lake Louise. Throughout the textual records of the Crosby family fonds are a wealth of insights, from their business ventures like those in Lake Louise to investments in the oil industry and land acquisitions.   In parallel with their business ventures was their active engagement in Banff and the surrounding community. The Crosby family were active participants or members of the Canadian Alpine Club, Banff Winter Carnival, Alberta Outdoor Speed Skating,  the Canadian Philatelic Society, Canadian Rockies Tourist Association, and volunteering on the Banff School Board, among other endeavours. Unique Items of Interest in the Crosby Family Fonds In addition to their business records and documentation of community involvement, the collection also includes documents that reflect the family personally. For instance, Louis Crosby was an avid stamp collector and enthusiast, and as a result, a member of the Canadian Philatelic Society, the national association for stamp collecting. As an active member of the philatelic community, Louis Crosby regularly participated in stamp research and won awards for his collection. Reflecting the quality and diversity of his collection, Louis Crosby exhibited some of his PEI stamps and postal history at the 1957 Canadian National Exhibition in Ottawa. An example that further emphasizes the Crosby family’s diverse business interests is Frederick Crosby’s investment in  Chinchilla farming, which had emerged in Canada as a viable industry in the 1950s. The documents regarding his chinchilla farming operation not only tell the story of Frederick’s interest in the subject, but also offer original source information about the emerging regulatory frameworks around farming practices in Canada that include animal welfare, breeding standards, and fur trade regulations. And lastly, in an example of an important research interest, the Crosby family fonds include correspondence and newspaper clippings regarding the National Minimum Wage Act and labour laws in Alberta. Records such as these offer valuable insight into past employment practices, labour conditions and how compensation evolved over time and can reflect societal values and priorities, giving researchers a deeper understanding of cultural attitudes towards work and labour.    In exploring the textual records of the Crosby family fonds, researchers can delve into the rich history and contributions of the Crosby family, gaining insights into not only the family's endeavours but also the broader social history and development of the Canadian Rockies. From their business ventures to their active engagement in community affairs, the Crosby family's story offers a window into the vibrant tapestry of the region. Rob Crosby was the guest of our very first Fireside Chat with Chic Scott in 2012. You can view the Crosby family textual records in person at the archives and special collections by making an appointment to search the records before your visit search online at archives.whyte.org . Archives and Special Collections appointments are available Tuesday – Friday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  To make an appointment or for inquiries email:  archives@whyte.org   For more information on visiting the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies visit us online at www.whyte.org/visit Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn Returning for the third summer, The Cave and Basin Mural Project features six outstanding Treaty 7 artists and four mentors, who are also artists, bringing Indigenous history and stories to life through their mural artwork. Located on the Cave and Basin grounds, 8x8x8 foot temporary murals stand in the summer sun, each panel telling a story of significance to the artist and the local area. The completed murals will allow all visitors to the Cave and Basin to learn about the diverse Indigenous stories, histories and experiences that live in this special place. The murals will remain on display for the remainder of the summer. This year’s artists will include Cheyenne Bearspaw (Stoney) and Giona Smalleyes (Stoney), Jarron Poucette (Stoney) and Kyle Kaquitts (Stoney), and Kristy North Peigan (Blackfoot) and Brendon Many Bears (Blackfoot). Artists will be mentored by Joseph Sanchez, AJA Louden, Bruno Canadien, and Dawn Saunders Dahl. Read on to learn more about the artists and the meaning behind their mural artwork. Giona Smalleyes (Stoney) My mural is about Banff Indian Days. This celebration was and continues to be very important to Iyethka (Stoney), representing a time when they could be together. This event enabled us to be ourselves, play hand games, hold tipi races, sing and dance, share food, tell stories, and have fun.   I have been researching female Elders and regalia in the Whyte Museum Archives and the Glenbow Museum. The main portrait I selected is based on a photo from the Whyte Museum Archives of Mary Jane Crawler and was suggested to use by her great-grandson Travis Rider. The photo of Mary Jane appealed to me because she is wearing a sweetgrass necklace, a piece of regalia that I do not see anyone wearing today.   The dancers are of my younger siblings and they made all of the regalia with my mom. Harlena is wearing a jingle dress with full blue beadwork and floral designs, as this is meaningful to my family. My late grandfather, Bill Wesley also had a lot of blue beadwork in his regalia. Shylena is wearing her green traditional dress, Hardy is wearing war regalia and Harden is a grass dancer.   Iyethka are happy and grateful to call Banff home and the land will always be in our hearts. About Giona Giona Smalleyes is a Nakoda AV Club member and emerging artist, she works in film with Jarret Twoyoungmen, founder of the Nakoda AV Club. With many projects she has helped bring to life and is hard working in every field, she has had the opportunity to work with ArtsPlace twice. The first opportunity is Speed Painting with other artists in the Bow Valley community, the second is when she showcased her artwork in a mini-exhibit that Chey curated. She is inspired by many of her peers and artists she has interviewed with Jarret, thus in leading her to pursue in painting and storytelling of her own. She works with acrylic painting and canvas, has used pen and ink with color pencils. Her color palette is inspired by the pastels and soft hues of pink, purple and blues. A dreamy kind of palette. She hopes this project will help her find her own style and give her more inspiration from the mentor artists and their stories. One day she will take the lead in creating in these spaces and will inspire the younger generation that look up to her. Cheyenne Bearspaw (Stoney) In the Iyethka language, the Hot Springs mean the Healer of Life. Although I cannot share what the Iyethka have used the Hot Springs for, I wanted to depict a time when we harvested in the Park. This was and continues to be a necessity of life for the Iyethka people. There is a continued, physical presence to the Cave and Basin where we had a deep connection to the site, a connection we still have today. The water from the hot springs has external and internal medicinal properties. This mural is in response to Stoney artist Rolan Rollinmud’s mural where there are three men depicted. Elders have told me that women are stronger than men. They carry the tribe. When the Chief leads, it is his wife making the best decision for his people. About Cheyenne It is Chey's dream to connect with people in a deep way through story. They do this through film, traditional tattooing, mural painting, as well as mediums such as digital drawing, photography, and sculpture. A graduate of the Earth-Line Tattoo School, Chey has a traditional tattoo practice grounded in their Nakoda traditions and shared Indigenous know ledge of ink and lines. Chey came to this project thinking about familial connections to the Stoney Nakoda people, as well as their study of pictographs and historic uses of imagery and mark making as part of their tattoo practice. Jarron Poucette and Kyle Kaquitts (Stoney) “Makoche Edaha Mini Po”- (English translation What Steam Rises From the Earth) Iyethka (Stoney) see Sleeping Buffalo Mountain first when we travel towards Banff.  This is on our way to go to our Vision Quests. We still travel today to pray and heal our minds in the mountains at the Cave and Basin.   The beadwork pattern on the corners and on Sleeping Buffalo Mountain is from the Whyte Museum collection and is inspired by Catharine Whyte’s regalia. This regalia was created by Iyethka artisan Mary Kootenay and Catharine was wearing it when she received her name in ceremony in Mini Thni. There are 840 painted beads on this mural, and these colours represent the Iyethka people. Dragonflies were added to the corners to represent Stoney and are important to the mountain ecosystem.   Cave and Basin translated into the Iyethka language is not the best description of this sacred place. We decided that with the guidance of our uncle, Duane Mark, to name this artwork, Makoche Edaha Mini Po — translated into English means Steam Rises from the Earth. The steam takes our messages up to the Creator. Iyehtka have been here for centuries, and we will continue to be here for many more centuries to pray and heal.   The dark sky represents being on a vison quest, you will see the Big Dipper and all the stars. The eagle feather is one of the highest honours to receive in Iyethka culture. The feather is present in all lives, through our naming ceremonies given to us when we are children and all important events. It is an honour to paint the box, and we wanted to put an important cultural image that represents this honour. The eyes represent animals that are in this area, (Wolf, Big Horn Sheep, Eagle, Bear, Elk and Lynx), they are also grandfathers looking down on us when we are on our vision quests. The bear eye represents Jarron, whose Iyethka name translates as Black Bear with White Fur on the Side, and Kyle’s Iyethka name which translates as Eagle Child.   We hope this mural will teach other people to remember Iyethka traditions and that this is a very important place to heal. About Jarron My name is Jarron Poucette. I was born and raised in Morley, and developed my art practice based on my community around me and the things I grew up seeing. I have been doing art since I was three years old, starting with painting and drawing on my parents' walls. I further developed my art skills in school, learning to oil paint in high school. After high school my practice changed and I started exploring tattooing, and have moved between and into new mediums wherever I need a creative shift. I am someone who loves to move between mediums of art and shifted again into creating regalia for family and friends and for sale. Recently I have been learning the traditional Sioux designs through talking to Elders and viewing collections at the Whyte Museum. I am inspired by the things around me in my home community of Morley. The things I draw are often from memory of things I have seen and photos of animals and events. I really developed my practice when I sold my first painting in my teens and realized this was something I could make a career out of. I enjoy working from home in my art studio and create most of my work there. But I have also painted murals at Chiniki College. I am often inspired by the events and world around me and the things I see on the land while hunting, then paint and sketch things from memory and images at home later. About Kyle Kyle Kaquitts was born and raised in Morley. He started developing an interest in art about five years ago, making beaded tipis and dreamcatchers. He also created his own regalia and danced in the Banff Pow Wow in 2023. Kyle participated in the Seasonal Mural and the mural about his grandfather Sitting Wind with AJA Louden and his brother Jarron and is interested in learning more about painting and mural making. Kristy North Peigan (Blackfoot) “Natooyi Kiiskoom”    Oki, my name is Kristy North Peigan and I am an artist from Piikani. My mural box aims to illustrate the feminine spirit of these sacred sites according to Blackfoot oral teachings and my personal experience and intuitive energies with the site. We have always revered our women and grandmothers not only as life givers but as leaders in our societies. This matriarchal structure was disrupted due to the effects of colonization and its inherent misogyny. Because of this, we have lost many of our women’s teachings. Hopefully, these stories and practices can be recovered as we rekindle our connection with the sacred caves and with sites all over Banff National Park.   To represent the grandmother spirits and my matriarchs, I opted to paint my murals in grandmother colours: pinks and blues. I wanted to show the inherent feminine quality of nature, life, and healing. With the help of my Knowledge Keeper, we designed the four sides of my mural box with the main themes being shelter, healing, sanctuary, and language. The mural begins inside the cave, with the spirits depicted by the faces in the cave walls and the figures holding hands. On the second wall is a Buffalo skull framed by Buffalo Mountain. Blackfoot peoples would take refuge in the caves to shelter from harsh weather conditions. You can follow the footsteps in the snow going into one eye of the skull/cave and coming out the other end to life, warmth and safety. The third side is the Blackfoot name of the site, “Natooyi Kiiskoom'' which directly translates to “Holy Hot Spring.” The English word does not do justice to how many tribes revere the spring waters, which we used for healing, ceremony, and many other purposes. The final side shows a Winter count, where we would track significant events, placing pictographs into a spiral to show the passing of time. To allude to this, I have painted a spiral, which is also a sacred image in many cultures, and the symbol for “Piikani” at the top.     Oki, I am Blackfoot from the Piikani Nation and live and work in Mohkinstsis (Calgary, Alberta.) I am an alumni of the AUarts Visual Communications Program, with a degree in illustration. I have been drawing since I was a young child. Art was always my mental safe space, and now it is my career. I hope to continue to learn my culture, express myself with my art, and represent my family and my nation proudly on many projects in the future. About Kristy Kristy North Peigan is a Peigan First Nation member and a freelance artist in Calgary, AB, located in Treaty 7 territory. Kristy is a Blackfoot artist with a surreal and futuristic style that juxtaposes digital painting with oils on canvas for her works. She uses Indigenous teachings and subject matter to portray a modern view of Indigenous voices in surreal spaces. Her unique artistic vision and advocacy have brought her many exciting experiences in her art. She has worked on various design projects and logos, aiding in uplifting Indigenous businesses, organizations, and community projects. Her work on these projects and spaces adds a layer of reciprocity to these organizations by having another layer of Indigenous representation. Kristy continues her work as a freelance artist, designer, prop maker, muralist, youth facilitator, and costume maker. She hopes to continue adding new professional endeavours and experiences to her artistic practice. Brendon Many Bears (Blackfoot) The Banff area is regarded as the Holy Hot Spring amongst the Niitsitapi and was ceremonial grounds that we shared with the Stoney Nations and with other nations. When we came into this area, all negativity and conflict were left outside of these boundaries while we came to attend ceremonies within our culture. This neutral space gave each nation the chance to celebrate their cultures and ceremonies while interacting with one another in a peaceful way.    While creating the art for the mural box, I wanted to tell a simplistic story in the Blackfoot culture, while also not giving away too much knowledge that we hold sacred. Each panel describes the different steps a Niitsitapi goes through to attain a design for their niitoy’yiss.     The first image displays a niitoy’yiss with a blank canvas and the sky beings: The Lost Children, Morning Star, and The Seven Brothers. The second image shows a Niitsitapi undergoing a vision quest overlooking Sulpher Mountain to retrieve their niitoy’yiss design. The third image reveals the niitoy’yiss design after the Niitsitapi receives their vision. The sky beings from the first panel make their way down and end up on the niitoy’yiss, while the triangle shapes that run along the bottom border represent the mountains. The last image shows the niitoy’yiss set up with its new design and Castle Mountain off in the distance.     In the Blackfoot culture you go through one of three ways to obtain a niitoy’yiss design. You have to have a dream, or a vision, or the design has to be passed down to you from your family. If you do not go through any of these processes, then your niitoy’yiss remains blank until you do so. Out of respect and to avoid mistakingly copying a real niitoy’yiss design, I used my great-grandfather’s regalia colours for the niitoy’yiss design. My great grandfather Jim Many Bears used to attend the old Banff Powwows and to honour him, I brought his colours back to Banff in this mural.  About Brendon Brendon Many Bears is a Blackfoot artist from Siksika, Alberta. He specializes in graphic design and digital art and works as a freelance artist. In the last year, he has created and taught digital art forms for IndigeSTEAM and Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. He also runs his own Etsy shop, selling his artwork as stickers or prints. He would like to become a tattoo artist someday and open his own shop back home in Siksika. About the Mentors Joseph Sanchez is a painter who is part of the Indigenous Group of 7. He is mentoring the artists with the image content and illustrating the theme of connection to place through artwork, as well as providing painting and drawing skill development. . AJA Louden has provided mentorship to artists for all three years of this project. A mural and street artist and graphic designer, AJA provides expertise in content development, material selections, and techniques to translate ideas onto a larger scale and provides painting and drawing skill development. Bruno Canadien is a painter and public art artist, providing expertise in techniques to translate ideas onto a larger scale and providing painting and drawing skill development. Dawn Saunders Dahl is a painter and public art administrator assisting with all aspects of support for the mentors and the artists in administration, content creation, artwork installation, and safety. Dawn is the Whyte Museum Manager of Indigenous Relationships and Programs About the Cave and Basin Mural Project This artwork and mentorship mural project celebrating Indigenous artists is a joint initiative by the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation and Parks Canada. After attending a weeklong mentorship workshop at both the Whyte Museum and the Cave and Basin, artists were on-site in early June at the Cave and Basin creating their artwork. With traditional connections to the Cave and Basin, Banff and the Bow Valley, these artists expressed their perspectives on Indigenous histories, stories, and experiences that live in this special place. Situated just outside the Town of Banff at the base of Sulphur Mountain, Cave and Basin has been a significant place for Indigenous Peoples for over ten thousand years to the present. It is also the site of Canada’s first national park, where settlers built swimming pools, historic architecture and tourism activity following the arrival of the railway. At the heart of this multi-layered and sometimes difficult history are the mineral hot springs, geological features and unique ecology that have drawn people here for millennia. Today, the site is a national historic site and museum visited each year by hundreds of thousands of people from around the world; a gathering place for sharing stories about the connections between people and the land in special places across the northern reaches of Turtle Island. Indigenous arts and culture hold an immeasurable wealth of knowledge, and for centuries Elders and Knowledge Keepers have provided support systems for younger generations on Turtle Island. As Elders, artists and community members pass, that loss of knowledge combined with the integration of different world views reduces and limits opportunities to continue to ”pass the fire." The goal of embedding a mentorship opportunity within this art project is to provide positive experiences through the transfer of knowledge, thus strengthening Indigenous artistic voices within the public art and art exhibition fields. Visit the Cave and Basin murals this summer for yourself! The Cave and Basin National Historic Site is located at 311 Cave Ave, Banff, Alberta. Murals are located on the Cave and Basin grounds and admission is not required to view the displays. To learn more about the Cave and Basin Mural Project, join an Indigenous Tour at the Whyte Museum this summer, running Fridays and Saturdays in July, August, and September* Set out on a 60-minute tour starting at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site and ending on the Whyte Museum grounds. Listen to the stories of Indigenous peoples on this land since time immemorial through the artistic expressions of Indigenous artists on the mural boxes and picnic tables on the Whyte Museum grounds. The cost is $30/person, free for youth under 17. *Dates may vary, please check with whyte.org/events for the most up-to-date tour dates and times. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn A refreshing June evening in the heart of Banff National Park brought together members, donors, board members, visitors, and community members to celebrate one of the Whyte Museum's most anticipated exhibitions — J.E.H. MacDonald: The O’Hara Era. CEO Donna Livingstone opened the evening with remarks of appreciation for all efforts it took for this unique exhibition to come to fruition, shown exclusively at the Whyte Museum as the sole venue this summer. "An amazing opportunity came together very quickly about four years ago," said Livingtone. "We are still snapping our fingers and shaking our heads with excitement." "J.E.H. MacDonald was a founding member of the Canadian Group of Seven. He first came to Lake O’Hara 100 years ago and returned for many years, painting and sketching some of his most iconic works. I’m very proud – we’re all very proud - to welcome you as we present a National Treasure in our National Park. J.E.H. MacDonald, the O’Hara Era! Through Rod Green of Masters Gallery, we discovered that Patty Cucman and Stan Munn had been quietly researching J.E.H. for over 20 years. They tracked down the sites where he painted, studied his notes, and even found scraps of paint. Along the way, Stan created beautiful photographs that document how the landscape has changed since that time. The trees may have grown, but in each, the mountains remain eternal. Rod Green linked Patty and Stan’s research with Director and Chief Curator of Art and Heritage Anne Ewen who sparked the idea of a 100th anniversary exhibition of J.E.H. Rod knows who has the works and helped us track them down. Our Director and Chief Curator of Art and Heritage Anne Ewen and her team approached national and public galleries to seek out loans and worked carefully to ensure proper conservation and security conditions were met. Amie Lalonde did an outstanding job of working out the extensive paperwork on each loan, including the breathtaking Albert Bierstadt painting from Ted Turner in Montana on view in the next room. DL Cameron, Kate Riordan, and Mike Cameron did a fabulous job as always in hanging the show." Ryan Green of Masters Gallery brilliantly grasped the importance of a major publication to reflect this and supported one of the freshest new books of Canadian art in the country. Autographed copies of To See What He Saw are available in the Whyte Museum Book Shop. "It’s more than a reflection of a great Canadian artist working in a Western landscape he loved," explained Livingstone. "It shows the deep connection J.E.H. felt for nature, for this remarkable landscape. This is the reason we are all in the mountains. This is our true connection to nature." About the Exhibition Until October 20th, 2024, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies offers a rare opportunity to view over 100 works by Group of Seven artist J.E.H. MacDonald from public and private collections. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of his first trip to Lake O'Hara, the exhibition is an exceptional and unique experience, as the Whyte Museum is the sole venue to exhibit these exquisite works and artifacts. The show is strengthened by original research conducted by geologists Patricia Cucman and the late Stanley Munn, who meticulously identified the exact locations of MacDonald's works, along with photographs, over the past 18 years. Their findings, documented in a major illustrated book titled To See What He Saw: J.E.H. MacDonald and the O'Hara Years 1924-1932 , offer a fresh perspective on MacDonald and his work. Additionally, intriguing discoveries such as paint scrapings and teacup shards have been found in these exact locations — likely remnants of MacDonald's plein air sittings — providing further insight into MacDonald's creative process and daily life during his time at Lake O'Hara. These items are displayed at the Whyte Museum alongside his work. Partnering with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and sponsored by Masters Gallery Calgary, we invite you to take an opportunity this summer to appreciate this breathtaking exhibition featuring mountain landscapes inspired by MacDonald. Want to learn more about our exhibitions? Visit our website and stop by this summer to enjoy this rare opportunity to view the works of J.E.H. MacDonald's visits to Lake O'Hara. Gallery 1: Photos from the summer exhibition opening of J.E.H. MacDonald - The O'Hara Era on June 15th, 2024 at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Photos by Katie Goldie. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn Produced in conjunction with our Summer 2024 exhibition The O'Hara Era , the book To See What He Saw by Stanley Munn and Patricia Cucman focuses on the Lake O’Hara work produced by English-Canadian artist and Group of Seven member James Edward Hervey (J.E.H.) MacDonald, R.C A. (1873–1932) between 1924 and 1932. The book documents MacDonald’s seven trips to Yoho National Park in the Rocky Mountains of eastern British Columbia, Canada, and presents a detailed catalogue of the resulting en plein air sketches and the subsequent studio works completed during the last nine years of his life. The book features more than 200 of MacDonald’s western works from this period, organized geographically with en plein air sketches and studio work illustrated side by side. Each sketch is accompanied by at least one present-day photograph, many of which are taken from the exact rocky perch where MacDonald sat. This pairing enables the viewer to see what MacDonald saw and to understand how he processed the landscape before him. Enjoy this excerpt from To See What He Saw: J.E.H. MacDonald and the O'Hara Years 1924-1932 available for purchase from the Whyte Museum Book Shop. Reproduced with permission of Patricia Cucman. Introduction In July 2000, in Le Relais Day Shelter at Lake O'Hara, British Columbia, a small group of campers and lodge guests attended a presentation about the O'Hara work of James Edward Hervey (J.E.H.) MacDonald; this book's authors were among them. The presenter, Lisa Christensen, showed images of MacDonald's O'Hara sketches done in the mid to late 1920s. Lisa also had a copy of a photograph of MacDonald, Peter and Catharine Whyte, and Adeline Link sitting in an informal camp in Opabin — the "Shalesplitters." Another copy of the photograph was hanging in the upstairs balcony of Lake O'Hara Lodge. We had seen it often but had not understood its significance. In 2003, Lisa was back in Le Relais and presented from her now-published book The Lake O'Hara Art of J.E.H. MacDonald and Hiker's Guide. We had our copy with us. During the evening someone said, "It would be impossible to find exact locations for these sketches." We determined to learn more about MacDonald's trips to O'Hara, his sketches, and the resultant studio works, and the hunt was on to find the Opabin Shalesplitters location. It wasn't until 2006—three O'Hara visits later—that we stood, at last, at the Shalesplitters site where the billy cans were still stashed in their hiding spot. As we sat there, we realized that we were sitting at an exact painting site. Seeing how the vegetation had evolved since the 1920s facilitated the finding of other painting sites. That week, we sat upon several rocks where MacDonald had been seated while he painted; near one of these was a remnant of paint, the first of several that we would find. That winter, we researched MacDonald's O'Hara works and collected images. Searching for and photographing the painting sites added a purpose and dimension to our hiking that had not been anticipated. With every new visit, more painting sites and artifacts were found. It became possible to understand how MacDonald had seen O'Hara and how he had translated it to his sketches. Since that first discovery, we have collected more than two hundred images of MacDonald's western sketches, drawings, and studio works, and have documented the locations of all but two. Photographs of what lay in front of MacDonald's paint box from the exact, or as near as possible, location were captured for all but a handful of the works. Along the way, Rod Green, initially at Masters Gallery and later at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, provided much support. From our first encounter at Masters—"Are you the people who found the pots?"—Rod was excited about our "hobby" and encouraged us in many ways in the early days. On our first meeting, Rod casually handed us a sketch to hold in our hands. He later shared images of works that came through Masters' doors, introduced us to key contacts, and assisted in other ways too numerous to itemize throughout the last four years. Without Rod, it is doubtful that this hobby would have blossomed into this book. He kept poking at us to do something with it. One of the contacts attributable to Rod is Susan MacDonald, great-niece of the painter. Susan generously shared relevant materials from the Estate of Thoreau MacDonald, giving us permission to include photographs, the transcript of the 1929 diary, and excerpts from several letters. Susan cheerfully fielded all our questions: "Susan, how big is the paper that this letter is written on?" With this support, the project expanded to include all aspects of McDonald's trips to O'Hara. Letters and diaries were transcribed and historic photographs collected with a view to fully understanding his time at O'Hara. The project became so large it was difficult to know how to share it; subsequently, it was set aside in favour of other pursuits. In 2020, Rod asked us to share our work with Anne Ewen, Chief Curator, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. When Anne saw the scope of the project, the concept emerged to use the work as the basis for an exhibit at the Whyte Museum to commemorate the 100th anniversary of MacDonald's first visit to O'Hara. Anne was committed from the start and remained so throughout the four years that it took to wrap it up. She seemed to never doubt that it could be done—even when the authors were not so sure. Amie Lalonde, Registrar and Assistant Curator, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, applied her invaluable attention to detail and assisted us in tracking down painting images and permissions so the entire body of MacDonald's O'Hara work could be included in the book. There is much written about the Group of Seven and the individual members of the Group by art historians and scholars. We are neither art historians nor art scholars and do not attempt to embellish those scholarly writings. These pages do not include significant information about MacDonald's work outside O'Hara. Rather, within these pages the reader will find discussions of MacDonald's seven western trips and a detailed catalogue of the resulting en plein air sketches and subsequent studio works completed in the last nine years of his life. (...) The work as originally conceived by the authors is finished herein. It is our hope that this volume will be of use to art collectors, enthusiasts, historians, students, teachers, galleries, museums, and auction houses. This information can be a starting point for researchers to further explore other aspects of this portion of MacDonald's legacy. Because the O'Hara landscape is presented through MacDonald's brush as it was a hundred years ago and as it is "today" through the recent photographs of the same landscape, the comparison presents a body of data for those whose interests lie in the study of alpine flora, climate, and environment. Chapter One A Hinterland Far Beyond Algoma MacDonald's seven cross-country trips to O'Hara on the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) carried him from Toronto, through Ontario, and over the prairies into southern Alberta. The tracks ran through downtown Calgary and across the foothills to Banff, and thence, 5 kilometres west of the Continental Divide to Hector Siding where he alighted on the shore of Wapta Lake. The last leg of his journey was on horseback, 13 kilometres up Cataract Valley to reach CPR's Lake O'Hara Bungalow Camp. Today, Lake O'Hara is described as a backcountry experience, but the Lake O'Hara Bungalow Camp, and its fabled surroundings, that MacDonald experienced were much more rustic than would be appreciated by many today. It is necessary to describe O'Hara and its surroundings of the time, in order to understand the personal artistic focus that O'Hara would become for the last nine years of MacDonald's life, 1924 through 1932. MacDonald's travel across the country brought him to a land that was raw, vibrant, and exciting—a deep hinterland of which he knew nothing until Lawren Harris urged him to experience it himself. At O'Hara, MacDonald found a new theatre in which to explore the expression of Canadian nature — a place where he could apply the aesthetic that Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven had conceived at Algoma and elsewhere. O'Hara, not yet part of Canada's Yoho National Park, was a spectacular jewel at the heart of a region that was being prised open by surveyors, railmen, mountaineers, miners, and artists. Before the migration of Europeans to southern Alberta, the land had been inhabited by ancestors of the Blackfoot Nations for centuries and the area was accessible via several well-established migration routes. Post-Confederation, and prior to 1883 when the CPR reached Calgary, the most expedient route into southern Alberta for both goods and travellers was up the Mississippi River to the Missouri River as far as Fort Benton, Montana (near Great Falls)—the northern limit for paddle steamers. From Fort Benton, ox-cart trains (bull trains) made the trip overland across the Canadian border, to Lethbridge, to Fort Macleod, and finally along the old Macleod Trail to Calgary. This was summer travel only. The arrival of the railroad ended the bull trains; but still, in 1924, the far reaches of the Rocky Mountains were not easily accessible beyond the limits of those steel rails. In the fall of 1883, the CPR extended the rail line through to Laggan, known today as Lake Louise. Lake Louise itself was not known to settlers until a Stoney Nakoda guide brought packer Tom Wilson to see Horâ Juthin Imne, "Lake of Little Fishes." Wilson recognized the extraordinary potential of the spot. Tourism became part of the CPR's business plan, and the company built the first modest log cabin on the shores of Lake Louise in 1890. While this cabin burned down in 1893, it marked the beginning of the exploitation of the spectacular beauties that awaited travellers in the mountain parks. But before tourists, there must come the means by which to bring them. Twelve thousand railway workers were recruited to press onward with the construction of the railway into British Columbia. In 1884, the railbed was laid through the Kicking Horse valley west of the Great Divide in what is now Yoho National Park. This was audacious due to the rugged nature of the Pass and the Gorge. The Ktunaxa (Kootenay) and Secwépemc (Shuswap) peoples used the longer but easier route up the Ottertail and through McArthur Pass as a seasonal migration corridor between Columbia Valley and Bow Valley and the open prairies beyond. In 1885, the eastern and western portions of the CPR met in British Columbia at Craigellachie. Construction in the Kicking Horse Valley was slowed by the difficulty of construction; men were living along the line in 1884, and trails such as those to Sherbrooke and Ross lakes are surely lasting marks of their presence. The "Big Hill" over the Kicking Horse Pass west of Wapta Lake was intended to be temporary. The 4.5 % grade was terribly steep for trains; three men were killed when the first train to attempt the run suffered a brake failure and derailed. Other serious accidents punctuated the twenty-five years that the Big Hill was in use before the 1900 completion of the Spiral Tunnels. In 1886, CPR promoted the creation of "Mount Stephen Dominion Reserve," a 6-kilometre reserve around Field, BC, which included the traditional lands of the Ktunaxa Nation. After several incremental extensions, in 1930 the reserve was renamed Yoho National Park, the same year that Rocky Mountain Park was renamed Banff National Park. MacDonald's seven trips west to paint at O'Hara occurred before the modern limits of Canada's mountain parks were set. GROWING AWARENESS OF LAKE O'HARA Outdoor people—mostly mountaineering people—had been accessing O'Hara for perhaps 30 years before MacDonald's first visit in 1924. J.J. McArthur, of Dominion Land Survey, visited Lake O'Hara in 1890 and brought back word of O'Hara's rugged beauty, and the mountaineering community took notice. Soon after, the CPR introduced Swiss guides to attract and aid climbing activity. Initially, guides were available just during the summer months, but by 1912, the CPR had built a permanent house at Golden, BC, for the Swiss guides (Figure 1.4). O'Hara was a spectacular place for climbing, and it would have attracted more than just climbers were it not so raw and remote. In 1912, the first permanent cabin at O'Hara was built by the Government of Canada in the Alpine Meadow; the structure, named Wiwaxy Cabin, was intended as a way station for climbers on their way to or from the Lake Louise area via the passes (Figure 1.5). About this same time, the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) leased two acres of land on the south shore of Lake O'Hara near Opabin Creek for use as a site for the building of a hut: this was the site of a tent camp during the summers and was a staging point for climbers. Lillian Gest wrote that there were four iron stakes and a cairn marking the spot where the ACC was to erect the hut, but that plan was not effected after the CPR donated the original Wiwaxy Cabin and the 1919 Wiwaxy Lodge to the ACC in 1931. The ACC held its camp at O'Hara many times through the years; in 1921 it was in the Alpine Meadow and in 1925 the annual gathering was located on the ACC lease on the south shore of Lake O'Hara. MacDonald would capture this camp on canvas. The beauty of O'Hara had been brought to the attention of a broader public by the railway painters, and perhaps most notably by John Singer Sargent who travelled from Boston to the Canadian Rockies in 1916. Sargent painted first at Twin Falls. That trip was fraught with difficulty—snow and rain made travelling hazardous, and one of the falls was not flowing—so Sargent had to settle for painting midway down the single falls. His painting, Yoho Falls, is hanging today in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston. Sargent wrote to a friend that one of the tribulations of that trip was the falls pounding and thundering all night, and that he stood it for three weeks before leaving. He then travelled into O'Hara where the conditions were rustic but he declared O'Hara to be the most beautiful lake he had ever seen. His large canvas (97.5 by 116.2 cm), painted at the shore of Lake O'Hara at a place forever enshrined with the name Sargent's Point, is an artistic benchmark for this classic view of the lake. Sargent transported this large canvas to Boston, sold it to Harvard's Fogg Museum in November of that year, and the painting remains hanging there today. It is hard to fully appreciate, at this remove, the extent to which this famous canvas may have excited tourists as well as art lovers. The timing of the CPR's commissioning of Wapta Bungalow Camp in 1921 may have been influenced by the fame of Sargent's painting in the societies of New England. At any rate, the new Wapta Bungalow Camp became, in effect, the gateway to O'Hara (Figure 1.7). The CPR could see that, to draw more visitors to Wapta and O'Hara, more amenities were needed; in 1919, a larger cabin-originally named Wiwaxy Lodge and known today as Elizabeth Parker Hut—was built beside the seven-year-old Wiwaxy Cabin at O'Hara. In 1921, the CPR operated the O'Hara Camp with these two cabins and five tents. By 1922, five small cabins were clustered around the two Wiwaxy cabins, and by 1924 the Lake O'Hara Bungalow Camp had swollen to eleven small cabins scattered in the Alpine Meadow around the two main cabins. To further support mountaineering, in 1922, the Swiss guides completed construction of a hut at Abbot Pass. Mountaineers could travel through O'Hara and rely on the Wiwaxy cabins, Lake O'Hara Bungalow Camp, the ACC staging area by the mouth of Opabin Creek, and the new Abbot Pass Hut high above Lake Oesa. By this time, the CPR was ardently promoting the nascent tourism trade in the mountain parks with bungalow camps at Wapta, Lake O'Hara, Yoho Valley, Emerald Lake, Moraine Lake, Storm Mountain, Vermilion, Sinclair Hot Springs, and Lake Windermere. O'Hara was the only bungalow camp that was not accessible by vehicle. It was Wapta Bungalow Camp that eased the arduous travel needed to access O'Hara. To further this new tourist trade, CPR offered rail passes to Canadian artists, enabling them to travel across the country to paint the Canadian landscape. The resulting images were to be used in brochures and advertisements for rail travel, grand hotels, and bungalow camps. (...) Chapter Two MacDonald's O'Hara Legacy Lawren Harris was largely responsible for convincing MacDonald to take his first of three trips to Algoma, Ontario, in 1918. Paul Duval writes that this was "a decision that was to prove momentous for Canadian art." It may be argued that Harris's 1924 urging for MacDonald to travel west—specifically to Lake O'Hara Bungalow Camp—was equally momentous. While the Algoma work was key to the establishment of McDonald's artistic reputation, the O'Hara work shows a renewed joy and celebration for nature. It most clearly aroused something new in the man and the artist. It is said that there resides in each person the perfect landscape in which they are at their best. It appears that, for MacDonald, the mountains touched him as no other landscape had and his last western works from 1932 show him to be truly at the top of his game, revealing glimpses of more greatness to come. MacDonald travelled more often to O'Hara than to Algoma, Georgian Bay, or Algonquin Park. (...) MacDonald was reluctant to travel west; it was his wife, Joan, who ultimately pushed him to board the train in Toronto in August 1924, courtesy of a CPR artist's pass. Four days later—after an overnight in Banff—he stepped of the train at Hector Siding, swung onto a saddle horse, and followed a guide to begin a new period in his painting life. Like many who recall their first glimpse of the Canadian Rockies, MacDonald was taken immediately by the beauty and grandness. To continue reading To See What He Saw: J.E.H. MacDonald and the O'Hara Years 1924-1932, pick up your copy available for purchase from the Whyte Museum Book Shop in Banff, Alberta. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn Donna Livingstone is retiring as CEO of the Whyte Museum and Peter and Catharine Foundation, after five “amazing” years. Her contract will be completed at the end of June, and she looks back with pride over a very busy time. She led the organization through the COVID-19 years, strengthened Indigenous connections, made a commitment to connecting visitors to nature, supported popular exhibitions and programs, created national and international connections, and showcased the wonderful resources the organization has to offer. Throughout it all, she holds deep respect for the founders, Peter and Catharine Whyte. “I am constantly impressed with their vision, generosity to others and to the community, and their modesty. It’s truly a remarkable legacy. Whenever I’m not sure about what to do, I think, ‘What would Catharine do?’ and it’s always the right thing, the generous thing.” “We are very grateful for the tremendous contribution Donna has made,” says Don Watkins, Chair of the Board of the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation. “She brought a fresh way of thinking and a warm connection to the community. We can’t thank her enough.” Livingstone says she was most impressed over the past five years when she witnessed the important role the Whyte plays in the community. “The lineups for the Archives book sale, the sold-out crowds for Chic Scott’s Fireside Chats, the excited conversations at the opening of a new show, and tours into the heritage homes – they all celebrate what it means to live in Banff,” she notes, adding, “My favourite is the Jon Whyte Memorial Spelling Bee and Trivia Contest. It’s been going for over 35 years and is still imprinted with Jon’s quirky sense of humour and love of language.” Livingstone is grateful to the board and to the staff who guide and support the Whyte in all its aspects. “I’ve learned so much from all of them. They’re mountain people. Resourceful, creative, good cooks, and funny as hell. That’s the best recipe for success.” She is also impressed with the generosity of the community, donors, and members who are quick to pitch in and help when needed and to offer encouraging words along the way. At the end of June, Livingstone and her husband Edward Cavell will be relocating to Vancouver Island where Donna grew up. Thank you, Donna, for your vision and support of the Whyte Museum! You will be greatly missed. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn By Anne Ewen, Director and Chief Curator of Art and Heritage On display at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies until October 20th, 2024, are rare paintings of historic significance to the Canadian Rockies by painters Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith. The story of how these paintings came to fruition cannot be told without first introducing Sir William Cornelius Van Horne (1843 – 1915). In his capacity as a builder and later President of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), Van Horne’s interest in the arts was profound and his natural ability, artistic knowledge, and refined eye were respected by artists and connoisseurs. He also understood that a successful marketing campaign must reach beyond Canadian interests, targeting American and European sensibilities. Much has been written about Van Horne’s business acumen, his boundless energy and tireless attention to the details of the construction of the CPR. His accomplishments as an amateur artist, connoisseur, and collector are also recorded. However, the influence he had on the artists with whom he sketched and those he encouraged are less celebrated. Van Horne’s desire to acquire the best combined with his enthusiasm and sway profoundly affected the composition and quality of works being produced in Western Canada at the time. He specifically selected the artists and photographers who were already valued for their artistic technique and intercontinental connections. Some of the best painters and photographers of the day were sought after and encouraged to construct a pictorial vision of the West, resulting in one of the most significant art collections ever amassed in Canadian history. Instead of paying the artists for their participation, perks were provided in the form of free rail passage, temporary railcar studios, accommodation at mountain lodges, and the promotion of their works at international exhibits. Therefore, between 1886 and 1914, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) encouraged artists to produce works to promote western Canada as an idyllic tourist destination and desirable settlement locale. It was also a strategy to sell tickets to diminish the huge debt incurred by the construction of the rail line. Well-known to Van Horne was Albert Bierstadt (1830 – 1902), an American painter renowned as a leading landscape painter of the Hudson’s River School and its luminist movement. Noted for his majestic interpretation of the American West, it is understandable he would be invited to paint in the Canadian West. The correspondence with Lord Stephen, the first president of the CPR, and Van Horne, began in 1887 with enthusiasm and sincerity expressed by Bierstadt to travel to Canada’s Rocky Mountains. In 1888, a flurry of letters was exchanged but Bierstadt’s endless excuses and demands to include his European friends, his wife, and her maid resulted in cancellation. Bierstadt finally accepted Van Horne’s generous incentives and departed from Windsor Station, Montreal on July 30, 1889. Bierstadt was provided with a rail pass, exclusive use of a caboose car in which to paint, a hand car for short excursions along the line, unrestricted train stopping authority and reservations at the CPR’s Banff Springs Hotel, Glacier House, and Vancouver Hotel. Also well-known to Van Horne was Canadian artist Frederick Marlett Bell-Smith (1846 – 1923). Best known for his watercolour and oil pictorial interpretations of Ontario and the East Coast, he was the first Canadian to be granted a personal sitting by Queen Victoria, resulting in Queen Victoria (1895). His stylistically conservative paintings were popular in both eastern Canada and Britain, affording him a diverse clientele and much admiration. Bell-Smith first travelled west in 1887, with his last en plein aire mountain sketch recorded in 1918. It was while resting at Glacier House, B.C. in 1889 that Bierstadt met Bell-Smith. Bell-Smith’s personal journal entry describes that summer as “being stricken by fires and very smoky.” Indeed, he had the unfortunate opportunity to travel back and forth from Montreal to Vancouver three times without seeing a single mountain. Fortunately for both Bierstadt and Bell-Smith, the fires subsided, and the smoke cleared, enabling the two artists to spend September camping and sketching at Lake Louise. Neither had been to the lake before, where the remote and rugged surroundings provided spectacular vistas for sketching, watercolour paintings, and photography. “Some of my pleasantest recollections are of the early days at Lake Louise. My first visit to that charming spot was in 1889, in company with Mr. Albert Bierstadt, of New York, an artist very celebrated in his day. There was then no hotel there – not even a trail to the lake, so we carried blankets, etc., and camped on the lake shore at the very spot where the main entrance to the hotel or chateau now is. I remember also that we had the pleasure of meeting there Col. O’Hara, who camped near us and we spent a pleasant evening round the camp fire. Since then, I have seen the hotel gradually increase in size from one which only accommodated ten persons. (Ah! Those were the days. We were like a little family, and agreeable friendships were formed; but now everything is changed.).” An Artist’s Reminiscences, by F.M. Bell-Smith, The Canadian Alpine Journal, 1918. Bell-Smith later cited Bierstadt’s compositional guidance and influence as having a profound inspirational effect on his future compositions. Indeed, the approach learned from Bierstadt inspired Bell-Smith to articulate the landscape in a way that represented the universal perception of a majestic mountain landscape. This tactic enabled Bell-Smith commercial subsistence when nearly all the other mountainscape artists were fading. By 1912, he was dubbed the Premier Painter of the Rockies. Resources: Donald Allan Pringle, Artist of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, 1880 – 1900, A Thesis in the Department of Art History, Concordia University, December 1983 Jonh E. Staley, The Premier Painter of the Rockies, Macleans Magazine Vol. XXV, no. 2, December 1912 Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn On April 25th, 2024 the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies hosted a Fireside Chat with Jerry Johnston and Chic Scott. Born in Banff in 1936, Jerry Johnston grew up skiing at Mount Norquay. In the mid-50s he worked for Parks’ ski patrol on the mountain and at the end of the decade, he ran the ski school. But it is Sunshine Village Ski Resort that Jerry will always be associated with. From 1960 to 1977, the years when Sunshine went from a backcountry lodge to a major ski resort, Jerry ran the ski school. At one time he and his wife Annie lived in the back of a tiny "garage" which served as headquarters for the operation. Eventually, the school had 30 ski instructors. In 1963 Jerry was asked by a friend to teach his daughter, who had suffered from polio, to ski. Ten days were spent with the girl trying to figure out how to make the equipment work. This was the beginning of a forty-year odyssey for Jerry, learning how to open the door to the joys of skiing for skiers with disabilities. The Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing was created in 1976 and Jerry led the organization until 2004. Jerry has received many awards: he is a member of the Banff Sports Hall of Fame, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame. In 2000 Jerry received the Order of Canada from Governor General Adrienne Clarkson in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Jerry is likely the only Banff-born person to have received this honour. Back to the Cairn

Back to the Cairn In honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day, our Librarian/Reference Archivist, Kayla Cazes has highlighted recent publications that showcase the ever-growing breadth of Indigenous works in the Archives Special Collections Library at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. The Archives and Special Collections Library consists of over 20,000 items including books, pamphlets, newspapers, audiovisuals, and maps. Ranging from the early 1800s to modern day, the Indigenous section of the library continues to be a robust place for researchers to find information on a variety of topics. Many of the books listed here were generously purchased through Calgary Foundation with grant funding acquired by Manager, Indigenous Relationships and Programs, Dawn Saunders Dahl. We thank her for her tireless efforts in pursuing funding and providing guidance. Sharing the Land, Sharing a Future, edited by Katherine A. H. Graham and David Newhouse (2021) Braided Learning: Illuminating Indigenous Presence Through Art and Story, Susan D. Dion (2022) Recipes and Reciprocity: Building Relationships in Research, Edited by Hannah Tait Neufeld and Elizabeth Finnis (2022) Indigenous Resurgence in an Age of Reconciliation, Edited by Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark, Aime´e Craft, and Hokulani K Aikau (2023) Upholding Indigenous Economic Relationships: Nehiyawak Narratives, Shalene Wuttunee Jobin (2023) Aboriginal TM: The Cultural and Economic Politics of Recognition, Jennifer Adese (2022) Decolonizing Sport, Edited by Janice Forsyth, Christine O'Bonsawin, Russell Field, and Murray G. Phillips (2023) School of Racism: A Canadian History, 1830-1915, Catherine Larochelle (2023) Indigenous Methodologies: Characteristics, Conversations and Contexts, Margaret Kovach (2021) Unpapered: Writers Consider Native American Identity and Cultural Belonging, Edited by Diane Glancy and Linda Rodriguez (2023) Living in Indigenous Sovereignty, Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara and Gladys Rowe (2021) Ancestors: Indigenous Peoples of Western Canada in Historic Photographs, Edited by Sarah Carter and Inez Lightning (2021) Cataloguing Culture: Legacies of Colonialism in Museum Documentation, Hannah Turner (2022) The Archives and Special Collections is currently open to the public Tuesday to Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. If you are interested in an in-depth research appointment, we encourage you to book an appointment with us at archives@whyte.org. Looking for more books or want to browse our collections? Head over to archives.whyte.org. Back to the Cairn