Lyle Wilson
Haisla Nation
Born in 1955, Lyle Wilson is a Haisla artist from Kitamaat Village, which is near the town site of Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada. The Haisla Nation is often referred to as Northern Kwakwaka’wakw; however, their historic artistic style has influences from various sources – notably Kwakwaka’wakw and Tsimshian, as well as developing distinctive qualities of their own. The name Kitamaat means, “People of the Snow” and refers to the large amount of snow received by this region. Tsimshian people visiting the Haisla people in mid-winter arrived to see people emerging from big houses completely buried by the snow so the name Kitamaat seemed an appropriate description.
The Haisla Clan system is matrilineal and, although he was born into the Beaver Clan, Lyle was formally adopted into his father’s Eagle Clan. Due to the high death rates at this time, his Eagle grandmother formally adopted both Lyle and his sister to help ensure the continuation of the Eagle Clan. This was a small but important event, which helped shape Lyle’s view of Haisla culture.
Lyle was always conscious and appreciative of Haisla art, which was present in his formative years. In this regard, his first artistic influence was his uncle, Sam Robinson, who is a full-time carver. Fascinated, Lyle watched him and occasionally whittled to the best of this abilities. He did not pursue art as a possible profession until he attended the University of British Columbia. At this time, he committed to a career in art education, but found time spent in the studio more compelling – eventually leaving to pursue his own artistic interests at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design. He graduated with a diploma in printmaking and began to develop his individual style. This artistic style has its roots in graphics, but also envelopes his three-dimensional works in wood and jewelry.
Today, a renowned artist, Lyle works closely with University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology where he has further pursued his interest in replicating historic Haisla art for future generations to understand and visualize. Lyle has been involved with many important private and public commissions that have aided in the awareness of Haisla art.
Additionally, he has been involved in a number of group and solo exhibitions since 1981 both locally and abroad. Some of his public commissions can be viewed at the Museum of Anthropology, BC Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Consulate in Osaka, Japan, Canadian Institute for the Blind, EXPO 1992 and at the UBC First Nations House of Learning.
Works by this Artist (Present + Past + Public)
Present Works
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Basket Pendant
Lyle Wilson
SOLDYew wood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This NEE-CHA-WA is a NA-NA-GWA-BA (berry basket) — when younger, NUGWANIS (we) used them picking berries.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Eagle Pendant
Lyle Wilson
CA$2,100.00Yew wood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This NEE-CHA-WA is an IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle).
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Bent Box (with Sun) Pendant
Lyle Wilson
CA$2,300.00Yew wood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
So the GUH-YO-JEELTH and GIZUA (sun) — the “Ball of Light” — are carved on this NEE-CAH-WA.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Frog Pendant
Lyle Wilson
CA$2,300.00Boxwood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This KWEE-KWA-NAUCH (frog) is a specific crest belonging to the IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle Clan).
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Hawk Pendant
Lyle Wilson
CA$2,500.00Boxwood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
As far as NUGWA know the DA-DA-GWA (hawk) isn’t a specific crest belonging to any clan; NUGWA know of it as something that’s been portrayed in Pacific Northwest Coast art and have long admired it as a subject.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Frog Pendant
Lyle Wilson
SOLDYew wood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This KWEE-KWA-NAUCH (frog) is a specific crest belonging to the IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle Clan).
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Sun Pendant
Lyle Wilson
SOLDYew wood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This MOO-MOO-GA-JOO (halibut) is a specific crest belonging to two HAISLA clans: IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle Clan) and the GEE-GA-JOAUCH (Beaver Clan).
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Whale Soapberry Spoon
Lyle Wilson
CA$1,100.00Yew wood
NUGWA (I/me) consider GLUMC (yew wood) a special, and relatively rare wood, NUGWA kept many off-cuts and other scrap pieces — it’s recognizing our overall need to conserve natural resources. So NUGWA resolved to use, as much as possible, even small pieces of GLUMC so the original tree wasn’t wasted. This piece was an off-cut from a larger GLUMC carving (the growth rings indicated the original tree was approximately 350 yrs old.).
USS is a traditional dessert made from a berry that is beaten into a pinkish, foamy (hence the translation to “soapberry”) dessert and a paddle-like KA-JA-NAUCH (spoon) was used to eat it. USS was considered a true delicacy in the olden days and served on special occasions like potlatches and feasts — it’s still traded and eaten today.
Normally most Pacific Northwest Coast carvers don’t use GLUMC because it’s a very tough, wild-grained, and relatively rare wood; as well it usually has many knots and other “flaws”. Such characteristic ensured that even in the olden days, it wasn’t used as extensively as other woods.
However given that the goal was to use even scrap pieces of GLUMC, and both SAWGUM and USS being special foods, NUGWA combined these factors with jewelry techniques and carved this traditional USS KA-JA-NAUCH.
This USS KA-JA-NAUCH is carved with a GWEE-YEM (whale) — NUGWA saw quite a number of them and they are very impressive animals. When carving this USS KA-JA-NAUCH, NUGWA took pains to incorporate the knots and the empty knothole into the overall aesthetic.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Flicker Mask
Lyle Wilson
SOLDNorway Maple wood, Cedar bark rope, Abalone shell, Acrylic paint
NUGWA (I/me) believe the HAISLA word for this bird is JUH-JUS-PEE-CA (woodpecker/flicker).
The JUH-JUS-PEE-CA’s tail JILL-JILLCH (feather) is very distinctive in both color and shape; orange with a pointed end. Some believe — plausibly — its distinctive profile is the inspiration for the Pacific Northwest Coast U-Shape and Split U-Shape.
The JUH-JUS-PEE-CA’s JILL-JILLCH were often added as part of the assemblage of a traditional GEE-GEE-WA (frontlet) — a very prestigious carved item, usually worn by a HEY-MAS (chief) or other important individual during a potlatch, feast or other public occasions.
A special framework allowed the GEE-GEE-WA to be fastened in place. The JUH-JUS-PEE-CA’s JILL-JILLCH were then arranged on both sides of the GEE-GEE-WA, where their colour and distinctive shape complimented the GEE-GEE-WA.
Knowing the historical use of the JUH-JUS-PEE-CA’s JILL-JILLCH, NUGWA got very excited to see a couple of them on the large JAWEE-CA-LAS (maple) tree in our Vancouver backyard. It was absolutely fascinating to watch these beautiful birds and every time they came around NUGWA stopped whatever NUGWA was doing just to watch them.
Sadly the JAWEE-CA-LAS tree was diseased and had to be cut down and replaced. NUGWA saved some of its wood and carved this GEE-GA-MEE (mask) in memory of the two
JUH-JUS-PEE-CA that visited once in awhile — NUGWA believe it kind of captures the spirit of both the JAWEE-CA-LAS tree and the JUH-JUS-PEE-CA.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Young Bagwana (Skatefish) Panel
Lyle Wilson
CA$6,200.00Red Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
Circa 2013
The HAISLA call the skatefish BAGWANA — it lives in the deep, dark waters of the AH-AH-WAUCH (sea/ocean). It’s an intriguing, mysterious creature with a very streamlined, sculptural shape and is perfectly adapted to the deep
AH-AH-WAUCH. Because it is a deep sea creature, except for fishermen, most people have never seen a BAGWANA.
A young BAGWANA’s wing has a circular spot encircled by a fine line. It is this solid circle, with its surrounding fine line, that a native informant in 1874, credited with the origin of the famous Pacific Northwest Coast OVOID.
In this painting the young BAGWANA is in front of the strange-shaped egg-sac, from which it has emerged from incubation — a few of these egg-sacs are occasionally seen when they wash ashore.
Because of the intrigue and mystery of the OVOID’s origin, and the fact it was credited to be the start of the PNC OVOID, the BAGWANA became one of my favourite characters.
This painting pays homage to the story of the young BAGWANA being part of the Pacific Northwest Coast art history.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Origins/Coalition Panel
Lyle Wilson
CA$9,500.00Red Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
This painting is my theory of the evolution of the Pacific Northwest Coast (PNC) OVOID. In 1874 a native informant told James G. Swan that the eyespots on the wings of a young BAGWANA (skate fish) is the original source of the OVOID. However, its eyespots are a solid circle with a fine line surrounding them.
So from that circular format the OVOID must have evolved into a more elongated and rectangular shape. The HULL-CHEY-NAUCH (orca) has solid white eyespots; some of which do resemble the elongated shape of an OVOID.
So to imply that connection, the BAGWANA’s tail is close to the HULL-CHEY-NAUCH’s blowhole.
The perimeter of an eye socket of a human CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA (human skull) has a squarish, elongated shape that is very close to the shape of a archaic OVOID. In the olden days dead people were put in a GUH-YO-JEELTH (bentwood box). These GUH-YO-JEELTH were then put up in a tree. Eventually it rotted away and everything fell to the ground — leaving the skeleton exposed, including the CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA.
So a GUH-YO-JEELTH with a painted CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA is beside the BAGWANA. On the GUH-YO-JEELTH’s lid is a series of OVOIDS showing the progression: circular, archaic and the classic OVOID. The classic OVOID has a upward bending bottom which differs from the flatter bottom of the archaic OVOID.
It required a human mind to put all these influences together, so on the bottom, below the HULL-CHEY-NAUCH, is a human hand — representing that long-ago PNC artist who first put everything together; allowing a long lineage of artists to follow the PNC art style.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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ABC’s Reconstituted Panel
Lyle Wilson
CA$40,000.00Red Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
Early in my career there were just a few experienced Pacific Northwest Coast (PNC) artists and they often used the metaphor of the western alphabet — advising young PNC artists to learn the ABC’s of PNC two-dimensional art: the Ovoid, U-shape and connective Formline.
NUGWA (I/me) decided to make that advice into a “visual reality” by using classic Ovoids, U-shapes and Formlines, to make strange animals that contort themselves into the shapes of the western alphabet and numbers.
So in 1984 NUGWA “made” an early version — a limited-edition of 50 serigraphs of the PNC alphabet and numbers. However during the printing process the entire edition was damaged. Although NUGWA managed to salvage one print, the rest were cut up to make a few small gift and business cards.
Many years later, in 2011, NUGWA decided to paint a version of the my PNC ABC’s and that how “ABC’s RECONSTITUTED” came about — it’s a blend of tradition and modern “advice”.
Lyle Wilson, 2024
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.
