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Totem Carvers These are profiles of the two carvers that have their totem pole stories on the Stories page. Click on their name to see their totem poles and read their stories. |
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We-Gonatha is a Coastal Tsimshian (Gitandaw) and is of the Eagle Clan. Green is from Lax Kwalaams (Port Simpson, British Columbia), a small fishing village in Northwestern British Columbia. For thousands of years his ancestors inhabited this remote area. The rich traditions and stories of his elders have great influence on his works. Henry Green has been carving since 1976. He works across the spectrum of historic and contemporary forms and media. Along with being an accomplished Native carver he also works in fine silver and gold jewelry. In 1982 Green continued formal training at the San Miguel Delende in Mexico. In 1986 he studied at Emily Carr College of Art & Design in Vancouver, B.C. His totem poles are in private collections both in Canada and across the United States. Henry's reputation is enhanced by his commitment to Native education and his support of land claim initiatives. He finds great personal satisfaction in working to preserve his culture. Green has developed training programs for emerging artists and continues to teach the youth about their culture. |
Aubrey LaFortune was born in 1966 in Victoria, B.C. He has lived on Vancouver Island throughout his entire life. He is a descendent of the Tsawout First Nation. His grandfather, Richard Harry, carved canoes for competitive canoe racing, This has inspired Aubrey to pursue carving as a career and carry on a family tradition. Coming from a large family of fourteen. Aubrey is the youngest; with eight sisters and six brothers. Prior to learning how to carve, Aubrey did sanding and painting work for his two oldest brothers, Francis and Doug. At the age of twenty he began carving under the supervision of both brothers. From that point on, he began to develop his own unique contemporary Coast Salish style of carving. LaFortune puts strong emphasis on carving works that are emotively powerful and distinctly unique. Aubrey proves himself in putting extra details into his works. The execution of his knife-work is impeccable. His compositional arrangements are as incentive as they are complex. LaFortune's work has been commissioned and collected throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, and Germany.
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We would like to thank the Quintana Gallery for letting us use their artist profiles. |