Gary Olver

Cree Nation

Born in The Pas, Manitoba on March 21, 1966, Gary Olver originates from Northern Manitoba (Woodland Cree). He moved to British Columbia in 1975.

He has been inspired by the works of the Northwest Coast Native Artists and recently began carving small works in argillite under the guidance of a respected First Nations’ artist.

Now Gary works in Catlanite – a medium commonly known as “red pipe stone”. Used for centuries, it is considered a type of argillite which occurs in a matrix of Sioux quartzite. Due to its fine grain, it’s easily carved and very prized by First Nations artists for use in making sacred peace pipes and various sculptures. Catlanite quarries are preserved at the Pipestone River in Manitoba, Canada.

His specialty is miniatures and he has incredible dexterity in creating works that are finely detailed and complex in design as well as subject matter.

Gary enjoys art and people. As a professional actor in movies and television, he has had the opportunity to sing with Willie Nelson in an upcoming movie. Olver has been involved in a number of other productions, including The X-Files and Highlander.