Chilliwack/Burnaby/Vancouver – You know him as “Pencil Fingerz”. His artwork is all around the ‘Wack.
Chilliwack artist Davis Graham, created a painting as a tribute to paramedics and other front-line workers. He has donated the artwork, entitled “Beyond the Mask”, to BCEHS. The presentation took place Thursday May 19 at the DelaSalle station in Burnaby with Leanne Heppell, Executive Vice President & Chief Ambulance Officer, and Neil Lilley, Chief Operating Officer in attendance.
BCEHS will be making limited edition prints of the painting for every employee to honour their work.
Leanne Heppell, Executive Vice President & Chief Ambulance Officer said: “Davis has done a beautiful job of capturing the intensity of the past two years and paying tribute to the work of paramedics, call takers, dispatchers, patient transfer coordinators and other front-line employees, and we are very grateful for the generous donation of his artwork, “ said Leanne Heppell, Executive Vice-President & Chief Ambulance Officer, BCEHS. “We are sending a print to all our employees, to show our appreciation for their dedication, kindness and professionalism each and every day, particularly in these challenging times with the pandemic and ongoing toxic drug crisis.”
In Case You Don’t Know:
Twenty-seven year old Davis Graham is known as “Pencil Fingerz” and his works include a commissioned mural for the City of Chilliwack. Originally from Chilliwack, he currently resides in Vancouver and works as a tatoo artist.
Davis Graham says he wanted to do this to honour paramedics for their work, particularly during the pandemic. He also says the pandemic gave him a new-found appreciation of the work that paramedics do. “At the very start of the pandemic, no one left their house. Everyone was scared. And yet paramedics were out there on the front lines – continuing their work.”
“I wanted to do something to honour the people who were putting their lives at stake.”
The artwork contains many images, some hidden, including an image of the Corona virus. The central figure represents female, male and non-binary employees. “I purposely show fear and exhaustion on their faces to reflect what I imagined they were feeling during that time – and, also to acknowledge that it’s okay to feel completely defeated by something,” says artist Davis Graham. “It’s an attempt to try and understand how they were feeling at the height of the pandemic. I hope they feel seen and understood.”
