Walter Harris

Country/Region: Northwest Coast (view other artists)

Tribe: Gitskan

Walter Harris was born and raised in Northern British Columbia and is of Gitskan ancestry. Walter enrolled in 'Ksan (a newly established school for native carvers) in 1969 and studied jewellery design under Jack Layland, wood carving under Duane Pasco and Doug Cranmer, and graphic design from Bill Holm. Walter was the senior instructor of wood sculpture at 'Ksan for a number of years. In 1978, he was appointed to the fine arts committee of Canada whose function is to select significant artifacts to be purchased by the Federal Government of Canada.

Walter Harris has carved totem poles ranging from 6 to 40 feet in heights. They are placed in cities across North America from his home village of Kispiox to Vancouver, San Francisco, Ottawa, Baltimore and New York. Some of the Poles incorporate mythology from the areas in which they are placed or the theme of the organization that commissioned them.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC
House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario
The Canadian Embassy, Paris, France

EXHIBITIONS

1994 Life of the Copper: A Commonwealth of Tribal Nations, Alcheringa Gallery, Victoria, BC

VIEW SHORT BIOGRAPHY