Bill Reid is one of the most significant Northwest Coast artists of the 20th. century.

A Haida. His output was prolific and varied. He produced more than 1,000 works. These included paintings, sculpture, jewellery, and prints during a 50-year career.

Reid was born in Victoria, British Columbia. His mother, Haida, his father, American.

He only started exploring his Haida roots at age 23. It was a lifelong journey that shaped his career as a seminal Haida artist. He is often credited with singularly reviving Haida art as its own art form. This changed its classification from the realm of so-called “primitive” art. White people ascribed this designation to First Nations art.

Reid is credited with building bridges between Indigenous people and white people through his art.

The Bill Reid Gallery in Vancouver the only public gallery in Canada totally focussed on Northwest Coast art describes his contributions:

“Reid became a pivotal force in building bridges between Indigenous people and other peoples. Through his mother, he belonged to the Raven clan from T’aanuu. The wolf was one of his family crests. Raven is known as a mischievous trickster, who also plays an important part in transforming the world. Many of these traits matched Bill Reid’s personality. In 1986, Reid was presented with the Haida name Yaahl Sgwansung, meaning The Only Raven.”

He began his career as a radio announcer. He worked in different parts of Canada. Eventually, he joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto.

It was in Toronto where he studied jewellery making.

Eventually he moved back to Vancouver, establishing himself as a traditional jeweller.

In 1954, that changed. This was based on a trip to Haida Gwaii, the traditional home of the Haida nation and its people.

A pair of deeply carved bracelets inspired him. They were created by his “great-great” uncle, Charles Edenshaw. He began creating jewellery based on Haida culture and history.

From then his art evolved into other endeavours – carving, sculpting, painting, print making.

A master goldsmith, Reid’s gold creations are sublime.

Likewise his major public sculptures are stunning.

He also produced smaller sculptures, prints and paintings.

“I never felt that I was doing something for my people. I did what I could to bring the accomplishments of the old ones to the attention of the world. I think the Northwest Coast style of art is an absolutely unique product. It is one of the crowning achievements of the whole human experience. I just don’t want the whole thing swept under the carpet without someone paying attention to it.”
Bill Reid

Bill Reid truly a Northwest Coast master artist.