Aubrey LaFortune

Coast Salish (Tsawout) Nation

Aubrey LaFortune was born October 19th, 1966 in Victoria, British Columbia. He is a member of the Owl Clan of the Tsawout First Nation.

Aubrey comes from a family of very talented and well-known artists. There are eight sisters and six brothers of which he is the youngest. He began carving under the guidance of his brothers, Doug LaFortune and Frances Horne, who were instrumental in teaching him the background on his ancestry and the way in which to depict images in a traditional format. He closely studied their techniques and very rapidly created artwork of high caliber. As his knowledge and skills developed so did his execution.

Aubrey favors carving in red cedar and alder wood. He is a versatile artist who creates such artworks as rattles, masks, totems, bowls and sculptures. He is already known for his exquisite  style and innate quality to achieve dimension and depth with the inclusion of fine detail. Therefore, many of Aubrey’s pieces are collected privately on an international level and are considered to be highly sought-after.

Throughout the years Aubrey collaborated on full size totem poles with his brother Doug that are currently standing in various public locations in Duncan, British Columbia.  This is one of the reasons Duncan became known as the ‘City of Totems’ along the West Coast.

Aubrey is very dedicated to his artwork as it is his livelihood. He is also an avid member of his community and often participates in ceremonial functions to further enhance his knowledge of the traditions and practices of his people. He is clearly a wonderful example for future generations of artists.