Bill Reid

Perhaps the best thing about the word getting out about this site is that we’re starting to get a lot of great recommendations for viewing.

There’s a vibrant discussion on the popular community blog, MetaFilter, about the site – including a list of films people love. Montreal blogger, Hugh McGuire, also posted his recommendations earlier today.

This film, Bill Reid, was one of his selections. Reid was jeweler and sculpture who frequently worked with aboriginal themes – influenced particularly by Haida art.

The film, directed by Jack Long, follows Reid to the Haida Gwaii (“land of the people” aka Queen Charlotte islands) as he contemplates and carves a new totem pole for a community over the course of a year. The landscape, his work, and his voice are all so peaceful and meditative – it really is a joy to watch.

The film is also great for its insight into the artistic process. At one point Reid, – whose first love is jewelry but is known for his large wood sculptures – says, “If someone told me I couldn’t carve another large wood sculpture I wouldn’t mind it so much, but if I never got to work with gold again, I’d be pretty upset.”