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Richmond-born Indigenous artist joins charity for youths

Through art, a Richmond-born Indigenous artist was able to find his voice. Now, he’s participating in a charity auction to help Indigenous youth in finding theirs.

Through art, a Richmond-born Indigenous artist was able to find his voice. Now, he’s participating in a charity auction to help Indigenous youth in finding theirs.

Cody Lecoy, a fine arts graduate of Kwantlen Polytechnic University, discovered his passion and identity through painting.

“It was about finding my voice and gaining a sense of identity that really ignited my sense to pursue art,” said Lecoy.

In 2011 and 2012, Lecoy was awarded the Vancouver International Airport Art Foundation scholarship, which enabled him to study art under his mentor Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun.

“He was able to guide me (to find) a style that also celebrated Indigenous Coastal art,” said Lecoy, adding that he never got the exposure or mentorship before the scholarship.

On Dec. 7, he will be contributing his sixth painted box to the annual Bentwood Box Charity Silent Auction to raise money for the Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) – an association providing programs and services for Indigenous youths.

Lecoy has been participating in the silent auction since 2013.

Titled “wholeness,” Lecoy’s decorated box focuses on the element of water as a symbol of healing and unification.

The design on the box tells the story of a “transformative journey (of) water” where the shadow signifies repression resulting in “a split of (one)self” and the water is the healing aspect where as human bodies are a vessel of water it brings together a “whole sense of self.”

The auction will be held at Lattimer Gallery in Vancouver from 5 to 8 p.m.