In 1995, the University of British Columbia commissioned Susan Point to replicate a number of Coast Salish artifacts from prehistoric fragments made of antler, bone and wood. Her re-creations were first done in pen and ink before being transferred to antler and bone. The finished pieces were part of the exhibition Written in the Earth – Coast Salish Prehistoric Art. She also explored these objects in a number of prints with various possibilities for a finished design. Smiling Frog is based on a curvilinear design brow band made from antler which would have been worn by women of status. There are two variations of this print with State 1 produced in and edition of 60 and state II in an edition of 25. She also featured the brow band in a 1996 portrait print titled Salish Woman.

— Gary Wyatt

When speaking of her work Frogs, an installation at the South Surrey Recreation Centre, Susan Point noted that “In many First Nations groups, the frog is the voice of the people. It symbolizes innocence, stability, and communication. The voice of the frog heralds the coming of spring, and in environmental circles, the frog is metaphorically considered the ‘canary in the coal mine’, its silence indicating the first signs that the environment is suffering. The frog is also a playful image, which I believe has an appeal for all age groups” [1]. As Smiling Frog shows a happier tone, perhaps this work predicts the coming spring from a long, cold winter.

1.

1. Susan Point, in Frogs, City of Surrey, 2005, https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/Frogs.pdf