Barry Wilson (artist) facts for kids

Barry Wilson, born in 1952, is a talented artist from the Haisla Nation in British Columbia, Canada. He is well-known for his amazing carvings and beautiful jewellery. Barry Wilson helped create a special totem pole that was returned to his community. You can see some of his artwork at the Canadian Museum of History.

Growing Up and Learning Art

Barry Wilson was born on May 22, 1952, in Kitimat, British Columbia. He started learning art at a very young age. When he was just five years old, his grandfather, Gordon Robertson, began teaching him how to carve. Later, in the late 1950s, his uncle Henry Robertson continued to teach Barry and his brother Derek (who passed away in 2011). In 1978, Barry also began making jewellery and learning about silkscreen printing.

His Artistic Journey

Barry Wilson's talent was recognized early in his career. He won First Place for Original Design Jewellery at the Native Arts and Crafts Show in Vancouver, not once, but twice! He received this award in both 1988 and 1989.

The G'psgolox Totem Pole

One of Barry Wilson's most important projects involved the G'psgolox totem pole. This special pole had been taken from the Haisla community many years ago and was in a museum in Sweden. In 2006, Barry Wilson and other carvers worked hard to bring the original pole back home. While they were working to get the original pole returned, Barry and his uncle Henry Robertson spent years (from 2004 to 2006) carving an exact copy of the pole. This way, they were ready for the original pole to come back. The story of this important journey was even made into a movie! Barry Wilson and others were shown in a National Film Board of Canada documentary called Totem: The Return of the G’psgolox Pole.

Art in Museums

You can see Barry Wilson's artwork in important places. For example, his piece called "Raven Spirit Rattle," made in 2010, is on display at the Canadian Museum of History.