Rachel Smith

Kwakwaka’wakw/ Wuikinuxv Nations

Rachel Smith was born on May 26th, 1994, in Nanaimo, BC. She has been immersed in Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous art since birth and grew up watching her grandfather, father, and uncle carving and painting. From a young age, she showed a keen interest in all art forms and acquired knowledge by observing the artists around her.

In recent years, Rachel has taken on a formal relationship with her art career, apprenticing with her father Steve Smith. She introduced her first artworks in 2019, while simultaneously completing her Associate of Arts degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. Rachel draws inspiration from her passion for indigenous rights and values learning about her heritage through practicing the arts.