William (Bill) Kuhnley

William "Bill" Kuhnley was born in 1967 in Seattle, Washington, and soon after the family relocated to the western shore of Vancouver Island. He is a member of the Ditidaht tribe of the Nuu-chah-nulth Nation. Growing up, he was surrounded by the carving of his parents, William Sr. and Josephine Kuhnley.  At thirteen he began his own carving, leaving school three years later to work in the forest industry for seven years.  He returned to carving full time in 1991 and was offered a position that same year with Duncan Heritage Center in Duncan, BC.  

In 1994, he was accepted to apprentice under Robert Davidson.  He was one of the four apprentices honoured by Robert Davidson at the “Stone Maul” ceremony.  Each recipient was given a Stone Maul as a symbol of their achievements.  Kuhnley’s art can be found in private collections in Europe, the United States and across Canada.