Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / Travel / Artist creates five-foot driftwood sculpture of Takaya

Tanya Bub’s sculpture of Takaya on Discovery Island. The five-foot tall driftwood wolf will be on display at the Empress Oct. 1 to 24. (Tanya Bub Photo)

Artist creates five-foot driftwood sculpture of Takaya

October 6, 2020 //  by Travis Paterson

Share this:

For all of 2020’s extraordinary tales, the legend of the Discovery Island wolf known as Takaya is one that keeps growing.

After seven years living solo between the Songhees’ islands known as Tl’ches (Chatham and Discovery), the male coastal wolf came ashore in January and was captured in the James Bay neighbourhood.

Soon after his release into the wild of west Vancouver Island, he was shot by a hunter. It ended his life but only cemented his status as a modern legend of the West Coast. In May, artist Paul Archer captured Takaya in a wall mural on Broughton Street and then with an even bigger mural on an abandoned building on Discovery Island.

Now Fairfield artist Tanya Bub has built a 150-pound, five-foot-tall driftwood sculpture of Takaya. The sculpture will be on display in The Empress Hotel lobby starting Oct. 1 and will then be part of the upcoming Takaya Lone Wolf Arts Festival in Nootka Court, Oct. 24.

View this post on Instagram

Recognize this famous lone wolf? #driftwood #driftwoodart #driftwoodartist #wolfart #wolfartwork #wolfsculpture #animalart #animalartist #animalsculpture #victoriabcartist #victoriabc #takaya #discoveryisland #driftwoodsculpture #driftwoodsculptures

A post shared by Tanya Bub (@victoriadrifter) on Aug 28, 2020 at 8:24pm PDT

“It started with COVID-19, when I started building more and more driftwood sculptures in my front yard,” said Bub, whose life-size stick man “Arthur Heart” has been on display in front of Gage Gallery on Oak Bay Avenue. “Two more became five which became 10 and once I got noticed it connected me with Cheryl Alexander.”

Alexander is the Ten Mile Point resident who frequented the shores of Tl’ches and captured more photos of Takaya than anyone. It’s because of Alexander’s passion for the wolf that Bub’s sculpture grew so big.

“It’s her sculpture,” Bub said. “It’s for her. I accompanied Cheryl to collect some driftwood from Discovery Island and spent a month to make the giant driftwood portrait.”

Bub careful detailed the sculpture to reflect the animal’s physical characteristics.

“If you look at the sculpture next to a picture of the real one you’ll see that it’s that particular wolf,” Bub said.

The goal, Bub said, is that the sculpture will continue touring art shows and be an ambassador for Takaya’s story. A smaller Takaya will be part of Bub’s first solo art show coming up at the Gage Gallery in Oak Bay called Creatures Great and Small, Oct. 20 to Nov. 8.

It will feature an assortment of animals including a kid-friendly installation of a “miniature-world version of Dallas Road,” with “whales, boats, little tiny houses, angels, kayaks, and people walking dogs,” Bub said.

It will also have a smaller Takaya howling at the moon on Discovery while Alexander takes a photo.

Bub has also designed a “Communitree” to stand outside the Gage Gallery. It’s a bare tree about seven feet tall and five feet wide made of wire and free of leaves.

“It’s a tree that will be built by the community,” Bub said. “I’m inviting the public to make a leaf and drop it off so I can hang it on the tree.”

It’s a “reverse fall,” Bub said. As leaves fall off real trees, the Communitree will add leaves.

Some classes from Sir James Douglas elementary will make leaves for the tree and Bub is hoping for contributions from all parts of the community.

To contribute a paper leaf, cut it preferably in an oval shape about half the size of a piece of paper and deliver it to Gage Gallery, 2031 Oak Bay Ave., by Oct. 20. Bub will weatherproof the leaves and add them.

“Make an oval of a collage, words, a picture, a drawing, anything,” Bub said.

Add a contact and she’ll be in touch to confirm the leaf has been hung.

Plan your adventures throughout the West Coast at westcoasttraveller.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thewestcoasttraveller. And for the top West Coast Travel stories of the week delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Armchair Traveller newsletter!

Share this:

Category: TravelTag: Art, British Columbia Destinations, Things to Do in Vancouver Island, Wildlife

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trails

What is an ‘easy’ hike? For a mountaineer, an easy hike might be one that…

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trailsRead More

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

A Kelowna photographer captured images of a pack of wolves while on a weekend hike…

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in KelownaRead More

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

He might be a better skier and influencer than any Gen Z could imagine, possibly…

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in GoldenRead More

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

What’s going on around the West Coast? Here’s your inside guide to what’s happening where,…

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!Read More

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf Islands

Many travellers believe spring and summer are the best times to explore. That means the…

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf IslandsRead More

Vancouver Island photographer’s bald eagle image is Canada’s choice for international contest

A dramatic image by professional Vancouver Island photographer Anthony Bucci will represent Canada in a…

Vancouver Island photographer’s bald eagle image is Canada’s choice for international contestRead More

Fuel up for outdoor adventures in The ‘Loops: Serving up seconds on magical meals and memories!

The best compliment you can give a chef? Returning for seconds! Oh, and to tell…

Fuel up for outdoor adventures in The ‘Loops: Serving up seconds on magical meals and memories!Read More

The writer who’s been everywhere shares his 2023 California travel wish list

By Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times I’ve been meandering around California for decades, which is…

The writer who’s been everywhere shares his 2023 California travel wish listRead More

Tourism hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but recovery may take months

Zhengwen Hao says the phone for his Richmond, B.C., restaurant hasn’t stopped buzzing in recent…

Tourism hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but recovery may take monthsRead More

Previous Post: « Vancouver Island, Victoria among world’s best: Condé Nast 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards
Next Post: Driving around in circles: Touring in beautiful British Columbia »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trails

January 30, 2023

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

January 25, 2023

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

January 25, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

January 24, 2023

Recent Posts

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trails

January 30, 2023

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

January 25, 2023

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

January 25, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

January 24, 2023

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I Love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon

Copyright © 2023 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved