Doug Cranmer facts for kids

Doug Cranmer (1927–2006) was an important artist from the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation. He was also known by his traditional names, Pal'nakwala Wakas and Kesu'. Cranmer was a talented carver and painter. He played a big role in the Northwest Coast art movement. He helped keep old traditions alive and also created new, modern styles. He was also a 'Namgis chief.

Doug Cranmer's Early Life

Doug Cranmer was born in 1927 in Alert Bay, British Columbia. When he was ten, he received the Kwakwaka'wakw name "Kesu'". This name means "wealth being carved." Later, he became a 'Namgis chief, just like his father. He took the hereditary name Pal’nakwala Wakas. This name means "great river of overflowing wealth." Doug Cranmer passed away in Alert Bay in 2006.

Becoming a Professional Artist

Doug Cranmer started drawing and carving by himself when he was young. He learned the traditional styles of Kwakwaka'wakw art from a master artist named Mungo Martin. At first, Cranmer worked in logging and fishing. But in the 1950s, he decided to become a full-time carver.

He was invited by Haida artist Bill Reid to help him. They worked together to create Haida-style houses and totem poles. This project was for the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. Working with Bill Reid helped Cranmer learn even more. He learned about art styles from other Northwest Coast groups. These included the Tsimshian, Tlingit, Heiltsuk, and Haida peoples.

Opening "The Talking Stick" Gallery

By the 1960s, Cranmer was a well-known Northwest Coast artist. In 1962, he opened a gallery in Vancouver called "The Talking Stick." He started this business with Alfred Scow and Richard Bird. "The Talking Stick" was one of the first art studios of its kind for Indigenous artists. They closed the business in 1967. This was because Cranmer's art became very popular. He had many large projects and less time for the gallery.

Exhibitions and Big Projects

In 1967, the Vancouver Art Gallery showed three of Cranmer's artworks. This was a very important event. It was the first time Indigenous art in Canada was shown as equal to Western art. Later, Cranmer was asked to create the doors and totem poles for the British Columbia pavilion at Expo '70. This was a big world's fair.

Doug Cranmer's Artistic Innovations

Doug Cranmer was trained in traditional art forms. But he was also an innovator. This means he liked to try new things and break old rules. Other people called him a master artist. However, Cranmer himself did not like these labels. He thought they might make him too comfortable with his work. He preferred to call himself a "whittler and doodler."

By the 1970s, Cranmer was using new techniques. He tried silkscreening. He also used new materials like mahogany. He even used modern tools like chainsaws and lathes. These tools had not been used in Northwest Coast art before. Cranmer was the first to create the "loon bowl." This is now a very common item in Northwest Coast art. He often experimented with new styles. For example, he tried to design an abstract totem pole that could be viewed from all sides.

Teaching Other Artists

Cranmer was also a teacher. He taught other First Nations artists. He had a studio in Alert Bay. Later, he taught at Hazelton, British Columbia and the Museum of Vancouver.