Bill Reid was born in 1920, in Victoria, British Columbia to a mother of Haida descent and a father of Scottish and German ancestry. In his twenties, Reid visited his ancestral home in search of a deeper connection to the roots of his culture. During this visit, he was gifted the silversmithing tools of his great-great-uncle Charles Edenshaw. Reid further developed his interest in Haida art as he studied the art of jewelry making at the Ryerson Institute of Technology, before returning to Vancouver in 1951 and establishing a studio. His most famous works include The Spirit of Haida Gwaii (1986), the black version of which is now displayed at the Canadian embassy in Washington D.C. and The Jade Canoe (1986) is displayed at the Vancouver International Airport. He was awarded the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Indspire Awards, for Lifetime Achievement in 1994. Reid was additionally made a member of the Order of British Columbia for his outstanding contributions to British Columbian art and culture.
Xhuwaji, Haida Grizzly, 1990
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