JOHN LIVINGSTON
(adopted Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) 1951-2019)
Biography
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John Livingston was born in Vancouver in 1951 but moved to Victoria when he was very young. He began carving at a early age at Thunderbird Park, Royal B.C. Museum. At the time Henry and Tony Hunt were head carvers at the museum and were instrumental in teaching Livingston to carve. After graduating from high school he began a full time apprenticeship under Tony and together they opened Arts of the Raven Gallery. The Gallery was a major force in Northwest Coast Native art for over 20 years. They organized international exhibitions and the gallery workshop trained many of the Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) artists working today.
John was a master carver and and worked on many large totem commissions with Tony and Calvin Hunt as well as executing totems and sculpture of his own. Besides his carving, he painted and produced over fifty limited editions prints. He was noted for his experise in restoration, replication and appraisal of artifacts and collections of Northwest Coast materials. He also worked on major projects with Haida, Salish and Nuu-Chah-Nulth artists.
John Livingston was an adopted member of the Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) Nation. Through his close association with the Hunt family, he participated in serveral large family potlatches and was given the rights to a number of important Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) dances.