The Kolus is referred to as an immature or younger sibling of Thunderbird. This supernatural bird is covered with a thick downy coat of fur or feathers that sheds easily to reveal the human form beneath. The Kolus is both an early ancestor and an intermediary between the human and the supernatural world.

Simon Dick was raised in the village of Kingcome Inlet on the northern coast of Vancouver Island. He was brought up speaking the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw language, participated in traditional ceremonies as a singer and dancer, and practiced traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering methods during the yearly food cycles. He has been initiated into the Hamat’sa Society which is the highest-ranking secret society of his nation. His family name is Tanis which translates to “Half-tamed” as a reference to the taming of the Hamat’sa initiate after months spent in the forest facing hunger, animals, and the elements. Dick was commissioned to design the 40’ x 30’ Thunderbird for the top of the stage at the Canadian pavilion at Expo ’86 in Vancouver. He has been involved in numerous environmental initiatives including supporting the preservation of the Amazon rainforest with the musician Sting.

Simon Dick has a recognizable personal style that blends traditional formline design with contemporary blends of washes and bleeds in bright colours. He has explored a wide range of subjects, particularly traditional ones, and birds native to British Columbia that are rarely documented in the art form.

Gary Wyatt