Jim Hart stands out in the echelons of Northwest Coast art.

His low profile does not detract from the fact that he is one of most prominent Northwest Coast artists.

His works are intricate and stunning in their style and execution.

Many are monumental – the Dance Screen, displayed at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, B.C. – took three years to complete, with the help of assistants.

Like other great Northwest Coast artists Hart studied, honed, perfected his craft and talent, under two renowned Haida artists – Robert Davidson and Bill Reid.

Other monumental carvings of his are located in Vancouver and Ottawa.

Hart is a descendant of a long line of Haida chiefs – all of them carvers.

As chief of the Eagle clan he holds the hereditary title of his great-great-grandfather, Charles Edenshaw.

Hart’s smaller pieces are equally powerful and run the gamut from jewellery, to prints, to carvings.