BC Artisans You’ll Spot at Pacific Sands
One of the quiet joys of staying at Pacific Sands is discovering the unique BC art woven throughout the Resort. It tends to catch your eye when you least expect it… usually when you’re relaxed enough to notice it. A stunning photograph that stops you mid-coffee. An artisanal chessboard that sparks a friendly game. A bold First Nations print that pulls you in long after the tide rolls out.
The pieces you’ll see in Guest Services, throughout guest suites, and Beach Houses are all by BC artisans. People who live here, work here, and are inspired by the same coastline you came to enjoy. Here’s a spotlight on three artists whose work you’ll come across at the Resort: Kathryn Beals, Jeremy Koreski, and Roy Henry Vickers, each adding their own spark of West Coast character.
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Kathryn Beals: Art made to live with
Kathryn Beals makes art that invites you in. Her functional art and repurposed materials show up at Pacific Sands in ways that feel effortless and useful.
You’ll find her acacia and resin trays in all Beach Houses and Signature Hot Tub Suites, perfect for those spontaneous charcuterie boards that somehow always happen on vacation. Her handcrafted chessboards are waiting in Guest Services and the Sunset House, ready for a spontaneous match or rainy-day challenge.
Kathryn’s style is playful, curious, and a little unexpected; much like the way a good beach day unfolds. She moves effortlessly between materials and ideas, always learning, always experimenting.
As she puts it, “I love cycling between different media. It’s like my brain needs to keep exploring different themes, using a new tool, or building on a new medium.”
That energy shows. Her incredible range of artwork tells a story. Each piece invites you to touch it, use it, and smile when you realize someone made this with both creativity and practicality in mind.
What’s Kathryn working on next?
“I’m preparing a new collection of mosaics for a summer art show at the Bowen Art Gallery. I’m also experimenting with new functional art pieces, and I have this other idea that I’m just obsessed with! I want to create a big octopus mosaic with a background of oxidized pennies.”
Kathryn is also considering a new series focused on the intertidal zone, combining her passion for art and biology.
It’s that sense of exploration that aligns perfectly with the Pacific Sands experience, shaped by beach walks, quiet moments, and the joy of stumbling upon something beautifully unexpected.
Jeremy Koreski: Life on the coast, seen through the lens
If a photo at Pacific Sands makes you stop and stare for a moment, there’s a good chance it’s by Jeremy Koreski.
Jeremy grew up in Tofino and has spent years capturing life on the coast. Surf sessions, weather rolling in, and those in-between moments that somehow say everything without much effort.
His connection to Pacific Sands goes back a long way, shaped by a deep relationship that started with the original owners, the Pettinger family.
“Pacific Sands has been a supporter of mine forever,” Jeremy says. “When the Resort asked for prints to go up in the rooms, I was honoured.”
As an assignment photographer, Jeremy’s camera has taken him from remote surf breaks to wild mountain ranges, but his work has always stayed closely tied to the Canadian coastline. He photographs sport, wildlife, nature, and culture with a feel for the moments that happen between the action.
His images have appeared everywhere from The New York Times and Surfer’s Journal to Patagonia and YETI, and in 2015, he brought the focus back home with This Is Nowhere—a hardcover book created as a love letter to West Coast life and a reminder of why it’s worth protecting. You’ll find it in Guest Services and select Beach Houses and Signature Suites.
This winter, Jeremy’s heading off on photography adventures in Haida Gwaii, Australia, the Bahamas, and Guatemala. While he’ll be working with brands and lodges along the way, these trips also shape the images that eventually return home, including new work for his online gallery and the Jeremy Koreski Gallery in Tofino.
Roy Henry Vickers: Stories of place, told in colour
Roy Henry Vickers’ art is unmistakable. Bold, symbolic, and rich with story. His connection to Pacific Sands goes back to the early 1980s, rooted in friendship with the Pettinger family and a shared love for this stretch of coast.
Over the years, Roy has created several works for the Resort, including Pacific Sands (1983), Sunset Point (2014), and, most recently, Pacific Sands 2 (2023) to commemorate Pacific Sands’ 50th Anniversary.
The anniversary piece features a leaping baby whale between Cox Point and Pettinger Point, framed by powerful eagle wings—symbolizing growth, continuity, and respect for the land.
Since then, Roy has recreated a large-scale, original painting of Pacific Sands 2, commissioned by the Resort, which hangs prominently in Guest Services. It’s a piece that feels celebratory without being formal… very much like Pacific Sands itself. Read more on Roy, his work, and the Pacific Sands 2 unveiling.
We caught up with Roy to hear what he’s been up to lately—and as always, there’s plenty to look forward to.
“This year feels especially meaningful. I’m celebrating 80 years of life and 52 years as an artist, working on a new book and a colouring book. Last year, I was deeply honoured to receive an Honorary Degree of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria. I’m also excited about my new release, Misty River, which celebrates my daughter taking up my passion for fishing.”
If legendary art and storytelling intrigue you, a visit to the Roy Henry Vickers Gallery is an easy add to your time in Tofino.
Art That Feels Like Part of Your Stay
Rather than feeling curated or precious, the art at Pacific Sands feels lived-in, welcoming, and deeply connected to this place. It reflects the coast, the community, and the creative relationships that have grown here over decades.
Together, these artists help shape the easy, creative energy that you can’t help but feel throughout the Resort.
Next time you’re here, be sure to take a closer look (wink).
