The Hands of Time 4 - Carrying Point Blankets

Here's the final instance of The Hands of Time sculpture series, a dozen small sculptures by Crystal Przybille that depict life-size hands engaged in activities symbolic of Victoria's past. The hands above are carrying Point Blankets, a kind of blanket that was much treasured by indigenous peoples when the Hudson's Bay Company first began to trade on this coast. The placement of this particular sculpture is very fitting; it is located on The Hudson, a building that formerly was occupied by the Hudson Bay Company store, the retail descendant of the trading giant that brought these blankets to this coast. The sculpture is on one side of the entrance to what has just opened as Victoria's new public market on the ground floor of this building. We'll have a look inside the market next week. Click The Hands of Time if you want to see all twelve of these small sculptures.

The Hands of Time 8 - Panning for Gold

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille. This one shows two hands panning for gold and is located just below the old Custom House on Wharf Street where gold seekers during the 1858 gold rush had to obtain their mining licenses. Though most of the gold was on the mainland, miners typically traveled up the coast from California and arrived in Victoria where they would obtain the necessary license and supplies before heading to the Fraser River. The modern city of Vancouver did not exist at this point in history and Victoria was the gateway to the gold fields.

Hands of Time 7 - Tying a Rope to a Mooring Ring

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille. This one references Victoria's long relationship with ships and the sea. It shows hands tying a rope to a mooring ring set into the bedrock very near to where ships visiting Victoria used to moor. This sculpture is located below Wharf Street just north of the old Customs House. The fish & chips stand of Red Fish/Blue Fish is visible on the right side in the photo to the left.

Hands of Time 11 - Cupping Dogwood Blossoms

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille. This one is located directly across the street from the Legislative Assembly Buildings on Belleville Street. It's appropriate that it should face the British Columbia Legislature since the flower in the sculpture, the Pacific Dogwood, is our Provincial Flower. "The sculpture symbolizes Victoria as British Columbia's Capital City, and the importance of appreciating the present and nurturing the future."

The Hands of Time 9 - Raising a Teacup

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille, this one entitled "Raising a Teacup". It is installed on a lamp standard on the corner of Government and Humboldt Streets with the Empress Hotel and its world famous afternoon tea service providing the perfect backdrop. "This sculpture references Victoria's traditional customary and historical connections to Britain."

The Hands of Time 6 - Holding Binoculars

Here's another in the Hands of Time sculpture series by Crystal Przybille. This one's on the seaward side of the Wharf Street sidewalk directly opposite Bastion Square. "This sculpture looks out to the ocean, referencing the compelling nature of Victoria's geography and the foundation of its tourism and sightseeing industries."

The Hands of Time 12 - Digging Camas Bulbs

Here's another in the "Hands of Time" sculpture series. This one is mounted on a large boulder in a garden on the summit of Beacon Hill. The location is very appropriate since it overlooks a large meadow that sweeps down the hillside to the ocean. In the spring this meadow is a sea of Camas flowers and it is known that the First Nations people used to harvest the bulbs here. Some were eaten fresh (boiled) and others were dried and ground into a kind of flour that would keep. The sculpture installation consists of the hand holding a few bulbs, a woven basket and a digging stick used in harvesting the bulbs. All twelve of the small bronze sculptures in the Hands of Time series are by local sculptor Crystal Przybille.

The Hands of Time 5 - Carrying Books

In the upper right hand corner of the above photo you will see another of the small sculptures from the series, "The Hands of Time", this one entitled "Carrying Books". It is located just outside the side entrance to the Victoria City Hall. "The sculptural books symbolize education and governance in the Capital City of British Columbia." The sculpture series is the work of sculptor Crystal Przybille.

The Hands of Time 3 - Performing with a Fan

Here's another of the series of small sculptures that have recently been installed in downtown Victoria. This one is called "Performing with a Fan" and references Victoria's Chinatown, the oldest in Canada. Fans are often used by performers in Chinese Opera and the placement of this sculpture in the heart of Chinatown (on Government Street between Fisgard and Pandora) just outside the McPherson Playhouse is very appropriate.

Hands of Time 1 - Carving a Canoe Paddle

Last week I posted a photo of a small sculpture that recently appeared on the Inner Harbour Causeway wall. It is only one of a series of twelve sculptures of hands engaged in various activities that have been installed here and there in the downtown area and nearby. This one is located in Lime Bay Park southwest of the Songhees (Westsong) Walkway. It depicts hands carving a canoe paddle to recall the local First Nations Lekwungen culture. The canoe paddle was designed by First Nations Artist Clarence Dick. All of the sculptures are by Crystal Przybille and over the next few weeks we'll take a look at all of them.

The Hands of Time 10 - I Am Here

This beautifully executed small sculpture mysteriously appeared set into the wall of the Inner Harbour Causeway recently. It is just life size and attached to the wall at eye level so that the mirror reflects the viewers image. It appears to be cast in bronze. I don't know who is responsible but this is very nice.

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Later: Thanks to visitor Mike Laplante's comment I now know the artist is Crystal Przybille and the work is one of a series of twelve called The Hands of Time. This information and more from an article in the Victoria Times Colonist. And more information can be found on the city's website, victoria.ca.