canoe wild 2024
On Sat, Nov 23, we hosted a celebration of wildly delicious bounty
Into the wild
We recently hosted our annual celebration of Canada’s rich culinary landscape on Saturday, November 23! This curated feast of bountiful Canadian ingredients featured renowned guest chefs Massimo Piedimonte from Cabaret L’enfer and Rafael Covarrubias from Hexagon.
We’d like to extend a big thank you to those who joined us!
Featured chefs
Massimo Piedimonte (Chef-owner, Cabaret L’enfer)
Rafael Covarrubias (Executive Chef, Hexagon)
Ron McKinlay (Executive Chef, Canoe)
Raffaele Stea (Executive Pastry Chef, Canoe)
John Horne (District Executive Chef, O&B)
This year, our charity of choice was Runnymede Health Centre’s First Responders Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Rehabilitation Treatment and Assessment Centre. Working to provide supportive, rehabilitative care and empowerment for First Responders and their families, the centre will significantly improve the lives of police, firefighters, paramedics, and nurses with Post Traumatic Stress Injuries (PTSI) and Occupational Stress Injuries (OSI).
Bidding is Open: Canadian Art for a Cause
Canoe honours Canada’s raw, rich land and the bountiful ingredients it provides us with. Our mission is to celebrate our country through every meal served and event facilitated. This year, we are extremely grateful to auction six remarkable pieces of art with all proceeds going towards the Runnymede Health Centre’s First Responders Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Rehabilitation Treatment and Assessment Centre. Keep reading to learn more about the artists and the stories behind each piece.
Norman Tait & Lucinda Turner
Norman Tait (1941–2016), a gifted carver of the Nisg̱a’a Nation, was born in Gingolx/Kincolith, British Columbia. Inspired by his father, Chief Josiah Tait, Norman dedicated his life to preserving and revitalizing traditional Nisg̱a’a art. Over his decades-long career, he carved 39 totem poles that are now displayed across the globe. In 2012, he received the British Columbia Creative Lifetime Achievement Award in Aboriginal Art.
Lucinda Turner (1958–2022), a passionate community leader and artist, began apprenticing under Tait in 1991. Over 26 years, they collaborated on extraordinary works of Nisg̱a’a art. Following Tait’s passing, Turner became a vocal advocate against fraudulent Indigenous art, helping Indigenous artists protect their rights and legacy. One of her most significant achievements was presenting an hour-long lecture at the Burke Museum on the misappropriation of Indigenous art. Lucinda passed away in 2022, leaving a lasting impact on the art world and her community.
In 2023, Lucinda’s daughter, Katrina, attended Canoe Wild. She was incredibly inspired by the event’s celebration of Canada’s bountiful harvests and wildlife. Seeing how this theme greatly connected to Indigenous artwork and the legacy her mother left behind, she reached out to the Canoe team with a generous offer. Katrina recently embarked on a journey of self-discovery as newly found information led her to suspect that she was adopted by the Nisg̱a’a. Eager to verify this in the future, she is grateful to showcase artwork that reflects her family’s rich cultural heritage and connection to Indigenous history.
The three pieces from her mother’s collection, created by Norman Tait himself, are Gunas and the Halibut, Killer Whale, and Storyteller. She is excited for these rare pieces to find new homes where their rich ties to Canada’s Indigenous history and her family’s legacy will be admired, valued, and celebrated.
Gunas and the Halibut
1980 Silkscreen print
This piece symbolizes the Nisg̱a’a Tlingit people’s deep cultural connection to fishing through the story of Gunas, who was swallowed by a giant halibut near Cape Fox. When the halibut was cut open, Gunas was found dead, and they mourned his loss with a dirge song. Norman Tait honours this tale, highlighting the halibut’s symbolic debt to the clan and the deep ties between the family and the fish in their cultural heritage.
Killer Whale
1981 Silkscreen print
Killer Whale symbolically represents the protection of those who travel away from home. A strong and protective creature, killer whales also represent family, longevity, harmony, community, and protection.
Storyteller
1979 Silkscreen print
Tait’s uncle, Rufus Watts, rekindled his connection to his Nisg̱a’a heritage later in life and set out to find someone worthy of carrying on the tradition. He chose his nephew, Tait, to preserve and share these stories, which inspired this piece.
Alex Marks
Alex Marks is a contemporary Canadian/American painter who graduated from the Drawing and Painting program at OCAD University. His work explores metaphysical themes of identity, being, and the subconscious, often evoking a surreal quality. Naturalistic elements blend with abstract forms and an expressive palette to create curious scenes that are both peculiar and familiar.
A tenured server at Canoe who is deeply connected to our restaurant’s mission and values, Alex is honored to donate his art to this year’s charity of choice: Runnymede Health Centre’s First Responders Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Rehabilitation Treatment and Assessment Centre. As a creator, he believes art has the power to heal, inspire, and bring comfort. First responders, who dedicate their lives to helping others, often face overwhelming challenges, and he believes it’s essential that we come together to support their mental and emotional well-being. By contributing to this cause, Alex hopes his work can serve as a small but meaningful contribution to the empowerment, rehabilitation, and healing of those on the front lines. Their courage and sacrifice deserve our respect, and he is grateful for the opportunity to give back through this donation.
Three pieces of artwork are available in support of Canoe Wild this year: Charging, Radiation, Another Night Out; A Late Lunch on the Grass; Locus. To learn more about Alex’s artwork, visit his website.
Locus
Oil on arches paper
Locus is the point where all paths converge, celebrating the richness that emerges when individuals come together.
Charging, Radiation, Another Night Out
Oil on arches paper
On her night out, she gracefully navigates through the electric flow of her surroundings, undeterred by the risks.
A Late Lunch on the Grass
Oil on arches paper
As the sun begins its descent, casting a warm golden hue across the sky, everyday life subtly transforms into a moment of shared serenity and reflection.
