Sasquatch Chronicles Blog

Sean writes “Hey Wes, I hope this email finds you well.

The indigenous and Canadian arts community has lost an important individual, Beau Dick, who is from the Namgis First Nation in Alert Bay. He was a carver who often depicted sasquatch as the Namgis people knew it: Bak’was, Tsonokwa, giantess or wild man of the woods. His carvings were magnificent.

I think your community would benefit from experiencing these carvings. Maybe it is worth a post on the blog with images and mention of this passing. Maybe even a mention in the next podcast. Your call obviously.

I have attached a few images below.

Beau Dick (born November 23, 1955 – March 27, 2017) was a Canadian Northwest Coast Native artist of Kwakwaka’wakw descent. He resided in Alert Bay, BC, Canada. He died on March 27, 2017.

Beau was born in Kingcome Inlet, BC, a remote Kwakwaka’wakw village north of Vancouver Island before moving to Vancouver, BC at age 6. From a young age he was heavily influenced by the traditional carving work of both his grandfather and father, with whom he assisted in carving one of the world’s tallest totem poles in Alert Bay, BC. At age 17 he was asked to apprentice under artist Tony Hunt in Victoria, BC. Eventually returning to Vancouver, he continued to hone his carving techniques under the influence of Doug Cranmer.

In 1986, Beau was commissioned to carve a mask to be showcased in Expo ’86, held in Vancouver. The piece was subsequently placed in the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec where it remains on display. In 1998, he was one of only seven Canadian artists to be invited to the reopening of Canada House in London, England, in the presence of Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Queen Elizabeth II.

In the last decade, his work has been featured in a number of international exhibitions, helping introduce his pieces to a more contemporary audience. Beau’s work was featured alongside that of artist Neil Campbell in the 2004 exhibition “Supernatural – Beau Dick and Neil Campbell” at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver, followed by the 2005 “Totems to Turquoise” exhibit in both New York and Vancouver. In 2009, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection showcased Beau’s work in their exhibit entitled “Challenging Traditions: Contemporary First Nations Art of the Northwest Coast”. 2010 saw Beau invited to display his art at the 17th Biennale of Sydney in Sydney, Australia, while most recently his work is to be displayed in the 2013 summer exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.