Mervyn Child

Kwakwaka’wakw Nation

Mervyn Child was born in 1955 and currently resides on northern Vancouver Island in Fort Rupert, British Columbia. A member of the Kwakwaka’wakw nation, Mervyn also has Tlingit and Nuu Chah Nulth heritage. Mervyn is a part of the well-known Hunt family of carvers and studied the art of carving from Calvin and Tom Hunt as well as George Hunt Jr. Mervyn was initiated into the Nunsishalis Society at the memorial potlatch for the late Tom Hunt Sr.

Specializing in wood as his main media, Mervyn creates masks, feast bowls and rattles. On a larger scale he creates totem poles and canoes for the art market as well as for ceremonial and functional purposes. Mervyn keeps his culture alive by participating in ceremonies and passing his knowledge down to the youth, teaching them songs and dances.

Mervyn`s artwork has been exhibited in numerous galleries and is part of the collection of the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria and the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia.

 

Selected Exhibitions:

2003     Capturing Chaos, Artist in Residence, Courtney, B.C.

2007     Rituals of Initiation, Copper Maker Art Show with Quintana Gallery, Portland, Oregon.

2008     Heart of the City Festival, 5th. Annual, Vancouver, B.C.

2009     First Nations Exhibit, Roundhouse, Vancouver, B.C.

2012     40th Anniversary, Quintana Galleries, Portland Oregon.

 

Collections:

Campbell River Museum, Campbell River, B.C., Canada

Bill Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA

Microsoft Corporation

Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Lowe Art Museum, Florida, USA