Cecilia Adams

Cecilia Adams was born in 1981 to the House of Laxaax of the Frog clan from the village of Gitsegukla, BC. She grew up in Prince George watching her father (Nisga’a Master Carver Randy Adams-Dangeli) with his apprentices and her brothers Clint and Darrell Adams. Growing up around carvers and learning about First Nations cultures through the family gallery inspired a natural curiosity in Cecilia to explore these art forms herself. At age nine her father allowed Cecilia to begin an apprenticeship under him – beginning with painting nearly finished carvings.

The family moved from Prince George to Prince Rupert where they established a second family gallery. In Prince Rupert Cecilia worked on a family commission of a 12-foot totem pole that was sent to Osaka, Japan. Later, Cecilia completed a commission for a Frog mask that was destined to hang at a client’s home in Germany.

Cecilia moved back to the traditional territories of the Gitxsan Nation in 2009 to continue working alongside her father. With him, she completed a total of five 10-foot totem poles for the Gitxsan House Chiefs and their House Groups. She was also commissioned to complete headdresses and various ceremonial regalia for the same Chiefs.

As a member of the Gitsegukla Gidahmess Cultural Dancers, Cecilia was asked if she could, with her father, be the ones to make headdresses and regalia for the male dancers. During this commission, Cecilia discovered her talent for leatherworking, which she practices today alongside carving.

Cecilia has three children who, like her, have expressed much interest in the family trade and they have begun their artistic tradition under her watchful eye.