Ses Saunders

Ses Saunders comes from a long line of Nuxalk carvers. His father Skip and grandfather Arthur “Silyas” Saunders are both self-taught accomplished carvers. Arthur was a former Native Artist Fellowship award recipient from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Ses’ great grandfather, Joe Saunders, was a legendary boat and canoe builder.

Ses Saunders has had the advantage of being taught by his father Skip. He learned the fundamental skills of carving at a young age and by the time he was 12, he was already selling artwork directly to local customers. By 14 he was represented in Bella Coola galleries and in the short years since, he has been awarded the YVR Art Foundation Youth Artist Scholarship. The work of art he created in 2017 will be on display in the YVR airport and he is the youngest recipient of the award by four years.

Ses is currently working as an apprentice with renown Haida artist Robert Davidson. Davidson is helping Ses refine his skills with positive and negative space.