Moon (Guidance) Pocket Spirit by Eugene Isaac

NATIVE NORTHWEST ART BY INDIGENOUS ARTISTS

Statement of Respect and Authenticity

We believe that Indigenous artists should be treated fairly and with respect. Authenticity of art, design, and culture is the foundation of our mission of building everyday connection to Indigenous cultures.

Native Northwest products are guided by the following five principles:

• 100% of the art featured on every Native Northwest product is designed by Indigenous artists

• All artists have provided consent and contractual permission for their art to be featured on Native Northwest products

• Artist names are acknowledged on all product packaging

• Cultural traditions are honoured by acknowledging cultural affiliation on product packaging

• Artists are paid in fees and royalties

Eugene Isaac: Master of Kwakwaka'wakw Art

Eugene Isaac, born on March 22, 1958, in Alert Bay, British Columbia, is a highly accomplished Kwakwaka'wakw artist renowned for his mastery in carving and painting. A member of the 'Namgis (Alert Bay) First Nation, with ancestry also connected to the Kwixa Kwagu'ł (Fort Rupert) tribe, Isaac was raised by his grandparents, Ben and Dorothy Isaac, in a culturally rich environment. His grandmother was the daughter of Kweeha chief Thomas Nowell, whose family was the subject of C.S. Ford's book "Smoke From Their Fires."

Isaac's interest in art was sparked in his early teens by a painting of a Thunderbird by Chief Henry Speck Sr. displayed in his school hallway. He began his formal training in the early 1970s when master Kwakwaka'wakw carver Beau Dick taught an art course at his high school. Isaac later apprenticed extensively under Beau Dick and also studied with Wayne Alfred, another esteemed artist from Alert Bay, in a carving course in 1994. He has also drawn inspiration from historical masters such as Willie Seaweed, Charlie James, Mungo Martin, and Blackie Dick.

Eugene Isaac is celebrated for his exceptional two-dimensional design and painting skills, producing an impressive body of original paintings and limited-edition prints. He has also been commissioned to design and paint numerous works for other artists. His major contributions include working on projects for Expo '86 in Vancouver and a 40-foot totem pole for Stanley Park. Isaac's work, which often depicts designs of killer whales, Thunderbirds, sea monsters, and double-headed sea serpents (sisiutl), aims to convey a feeling of energy, electricity, and an illusion of movement. He works with acrylics on paper, wood, and leather, and also carves cedar and alder, and designs leather belts.

Through his dedication to traditional Kwakwaka'wakw art and his continuous involvement in cultural activities, Eugene Isaac is a vital figure in keeping his people's artistic traditions alive and thriving.