Wickaninnish Inn Entrance Doors
Before leaving the Pointe building, explore the works inside and then head over to the Beach building to visit the Henry Nolla Gallery.
“He lived the life that every hippie aspired to live,” Charles Diarmid recalls of studious, hardworking artist, Henry Nolla, calling him a genius. “As a family we all loved and respected Henry.”
Henry became one of the McDiarmid family living on the beachfront property on North Chesterman in his carving shed and contributing his artistry to the building of the Wickaninnish Inn and the family’s cabin.
Henry also encouraged and collaborated with a community of artists. His legacy is interwoven throughout the Tofino Arts & Culture Walks from the memories of Roy Henry Vickers, who lived down the beach, to driftwood sculptor Jan Janzen, to “Feather George Yearsley, who helps to keep Henry’s legacy alive in the Carving Shed today.
Henry’s work is also the underpinning to many iconic features of Tofino from his collaboration with Roy Henry Vickers on the Roy Henry Gallery and the Tofino Welcome sign, to his adzing work on the Common Loaf Bakery — all featured in the Downtown Art Walk.
Charles fondly remembers the charming, humorous, artistically gifted and generous Henry Nolla.
