Story

"Sabina's work is demonstrating the next phase in the development of North West Coast art and design."
Dr. George MacDonald
Former president of the Bill Reid Foundation
Director of Simon Fraser University's Bill Reid Centre of NWC Art Studies

Sabina Hill, in collaboration with aboriginal artists, creates original custom furniture, art and installations which merges the rich mythology of West Coast native culture with a contemporary design aesthetic. Sabina skillfully integrates Native motifs into her work creating a unique, contemporary expression, one that evokes the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and celebrates the convergence of two distinct design cultures.

Her work tells a visual story rooted in First Nations iconography, presented through contemporary design, materials and an aesthetic informed by her artistic and architectural education. Dr. George MacDonald, former president of the Bill Reid Foundation and current director of Simon Fraser University’s Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, hails her work as “demonstrating the next phase in the development of Northwest Coast art and design.”

Born in Vancouver, BC, Sabina is inspired by First Nations imagery, which is deeply-rooted in Pacific Northwest regional culture. Sabina graduated in architecture from the University of British Columbia and in environmental studies from the University of Manitoba. After founding her studio in 1993, she began to connect professionally with the First Peoples in 2000, as she sought to create works with a distinctly regional design aesthetic--envisioning a collaboration with those who have been bringing the spirit of the land to surface through art for thousands of years.

Adorned objects are part of the First Nations living culture. Sabina’s work is carrying this tradition forward, as she continues to explore designing furniture and art in ways that “bring the ceremonial into daily life.”

Sabina’s collections feature native motifs created in collaboration with local artists: Andy Everson, Mark Preston and Steve Smith, Corinne Hunt, and recently, Jessica Silvey. Her work is handcrafted locally, utilizing unique material combinations and leading edge technologies. These handcrafted museum quality works are authenticated limited editions and commissions that showcase an ever-expanding palette of materials which reflect her highly collectible and evolving design aesthetic. The Harvest collection represents a new direction for the designer as she introduces ‘soft materials’, including animal hides, tanned salmon skins, and weaving into her northwest coast style.

Sabina’s work, imbued with the spirit of her shared Pacific Northwest culture, showcases First Nations motifs, extending their cross-cultural appeal, and demonstrating a powerful and poignant legacy of cooperation between two cultures.