Meet The Artists

Fast Horse Beads is a 4th generation Northern Cheyenne & Oglala Sioux artist.

Olivia Thompson (Swan), age 37, is a Native American artist from
the Makah and Sklallam Nations. Olivia is from the Swan family of Neah Bay and
the Balch family from Jamestown. Olivia has been active in culture for most of
her life and has been beading since she was 12 years old.

“Our stories and traditions are woven into our textiles. These woven designs reflect our ancestral traditions and our connection to nature.”

“Our art retells our ancestors’ stories about our connection to the land that we have respectfully lived on for thousands of years.”

“I was raised in a way of life based on hunting, fishing, feasting, singing, dancing and visual arts. Art has always been communicated as an expression of spirit to the connections to people and the ways of life.”

“Art is an intimate connection to our history, identity and our community. I am honoured to continue our traditions and to share them.”

"I draw from my knowledge of the Woodlands Style of Art Traditional Beadwork and Weaving, creating unique works of acrylic paintings, beadwork, and engraved jewelry."

Melaney Gleeson-Lyall was born on the unceded, ancestral lands of her ancestors, the Musqueam people, known as Vancouver, BC.

She is a Musqueam, Coast Salish artist and author.

Chief Horne is a talented Coast Salish artist with over 20 years of experience. His artwork has been exhibited in countries around the world in numerous galleries. His preferred artistic medium is wood, mainly red cedar, from which he carves house posts, totem poles and masks.

Maynard Johnny Jr. was born April 4, 1973 in Campbell River, British Columbia. He is of Penelakut (Coast Salish) and Kwakwaka'wakw descent and has been designing Native art since the age of seventeen. His paintings and serigraphs exemplify the gracefulness of the Coast Salish two-dimensional design system.

Coast Salish artist Joseph M. Wilson (Sxwaset) was born in Duncan, British Columbia in 1967. He is a member of the Halkomenum-speaking Cowichan Tribes.

At the age of 11, Joe developed an intense interest in Native art and in the carving of his stepfather, Johnny Sampson. By the age of 17, he was taking his artwork seriously and began selling his work in stores and art galleries.

Joe began studying under the guidance of the late master carver Simon Charlie and received a more structured apprenticeship with master carver Tim Paul at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria. Joe also received inspiration and education from Coast Salish artist Charles Elliott.

“Culture is not stagnant. Through contact and the technological revolution Tlingit culture is constantly adapting, observing, and searching for its place in the world.”

Gordon White has been working as an artist since he graduated from high school in 2002. He has a passion for Haida formline and design. This interest in design has led to his creation of murals and logos in the past, and he is eager to apply his creativity to silver and gold. In 2009, Gordon graduated from Vancouver's Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts program under established Kwakwaka'wakw/Haida artist Dan Wallace.

Trevor Angus (Tka'ast) completed three years of training at the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Art at 'Ksan in Hazelton, BC. He studied under Gitksan master carvers Ken Mowatt and Vernon Stephens, and spent six weeks training in jewellery under Art Wilson. He has also worked with Haida artist Shawn Edenshaw and Nisga'a artist Robert Tait. In 2013 and 2014, Trevor completed the Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts program at Vancouver's Native Education College, learning repousséand stone-setting techniques. He apprenticed with renowned Gitksan jeweller Phil Janzé, engraving silver and gold jewellery. In 2021, Trevor was commissioned to design sports jerseys for the University of Northern BC. The UNBC Timberwolves were Canada's first university athletic program to don a logo designed by an Indigenous artist.

“I am honoured to create art that respects the traditions of my ancestors from the Naikun Raven clan on Haida Gwaii.”