Philip Gray
Tsimshian Nation
Born in 1983, Philip Gray is a young artist who began learning how to carve at the age of fifteen under the direction of Salish artist Gerry Sheena. Although as a child Gray was not overly exposed to Tsimshian works of art, he has worked increasingly hard over the years to incorporate the unique design elements of the Tsimshian style into his current practice.
Gray has assisted in the carving of three totem poles, which now stand in various locations of Vancouver. During his first couple years of practice he only carved during the summer months, while working on community development projects. Since then, Gray has become more focused and has worked hard to improve his carving skills and knowledge by studying Tsimshian carving as well as taking an advanced design course by Robert Davidson. His work has been influenced by carvers such as David Boxley, Robert Davidson, and Don Yeomans.
As quoted from the exhibition Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation 2 (2005) at the New York Museum of Art and Design:
“… now that I am doing it [carving], I could not see myself doing anything else. My only hope is to continue to progress in my work and to bring Tsimshian art to another level.”
Philip has donated many of his designs and carvings to First Nations communities and the Lac Kaien Tsimshian Dance Group, of which he is an active member. His artwork can be found both in local galleries and international locales, including Malaysia, Poland, China, the United States, and Canada. In recent years Philip has travelled to Asia and has been greatly influenced and fascinated by the culture, language, and the many similarities that bridge Asian and North American cultural themes. This strong connection has inspired many of his works and has resulted in his experimentation with these influences as a means of pushing the boundary of traditional Tsimshian design.
Exhibitions:
2012 Cranmer + Gray, Dual Artist Exhibition, Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery. Vancouver, BC.
2009 Challenging Traditions, Group Exhibition, McMichael Canadian Art Gallery. Kleinburg, ON.
2009 Continuum: Vision and Creativity on the Northwest Coast, Group Exhibition, Bill Reid Art Gallery. Vancouver, BC.
Works by this Artist (Present + Past + Public)
Present Works
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galts’ap (Wolf Mother & Cub)
Philip Gray
CA$1,200.00Serigraph, Edition of 70
2023
Unframed
(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)
galts’ap means Village or Community
“The main figure is of a mother wolf with a cub at her feet and another still in her womb. I liked the idea of wolves for this concept because of their tight community-based society. In my experience, women have always been the ones to step up and ensure that our community could be a safe place. They also lead the way by ensuring that we have a future to look forward to through land and water protection.
Above all of that, hanaa’nax(women) have the capacity to be the embodiment of community through their ability to bring life into this world. More than that in Ts’msyen society, rights flow through the women. My sister and myself are Ts’msyen because our mother is Ts’msyen, but my sister will be the only one to pass along those rights to our next generation.
Just to clarify, the translation is not perfect when it is in English, and in no way am I referring to women as containers for children. Our community is what makes our society strong, and I want to highlight that the most important rolls in my communities have always been filled by women and hanaa’ax are the most important part of Ts’msyen society” -Phil Gray
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Killerwhale Panel
Philip Gray
SOLDRed Cedar wood
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at [email protected]
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Łagigyet (Eagle & Killerwhale)
Philip Gray
CA$450.00Serigraph, Edition of 75
2018
Unframed
(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)
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Communal Hunters Panel
Philip Gray
SOLDRed Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at [email protected]
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Killerwhale Panel
Philip Gray
SOLDRed Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at [email protected]
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Eagle Blue Bentwood Box
Philip Gray
SOLDYellow Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at [email protected]
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The Chase Bentwood Box
Philip Gray
SOLDRed Cedar wood, Operculum shell, Acrylic paint
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at [email protected]
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Dirty Boy Defeats Bear Mask
Philip Gray
SOLDRed Cedar Wood, Acrylic Paint, Abalone Shell
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at [email protected]
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Tsimshian Moon Mask
Philip Gray
SOLDRed Cedar Wood, Acrylic Paint
SOLD – For artist commission inquiries, please contact us at [email protected]
Past Works
The artist’s Past Works at our Gallery have now sold; however, a custom order may be possible if the artist is available and accepting commissions.