Sanford Williams

Country/Region: Northwest Coast (view other artists)

Tribe: Mowachaht

Even before leaving high school in 1985, Sanford Williams (b. 1967) dreamed of becoming a master carver. Sanford was influenced and taught by his grandfather, Jimmy John, who was a master carver on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Sanford’s carving so far follows the Tshimsian/Gitskan tradition, as most of his tuition has been received from the Kitanmax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art, at 'Ksan near Hazelton, BC. His chief teachers have been Ken Mowatt and Vernon Stephens. He assisted these carvers with two ten-ft. totem poles. Sanford carves a wide variety of objects, particularly masks, both human and animal, also small poles, rattles, plaques, bentwood boxes and large panels.

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