Ron Telek facts for kids

Ron Joseph Telek (born February 16, 1962 – died January 25, 2017) was a talented Canadian First Nations artist. He was a sculptor, meaning he created amazing art pieces, mostly from wood. Ron was part of the Nisga'a nation, a group of Indigenous people from northwestern British Columbia. He belonged to the Laxsgiik, or Eagle Clan. He also had a special family name, Jagam Txalp, which means Four Canoes Coming into the Village. Besides wood, he sometimes used materials like bone, moose hair, and shiny abalone shells in his art.

Becoming an Artist

Ron Telek grew up in a family of artists. His uncles, Alver Tait and Norman Tait, were also famous carvers from the Nisga'a nation. Ron started learning to carve in 1983. He was still in high school in Vancouver at the time. His uncle, Norman Tait, taught him many skills. They worked together on many big projects. These included carving several totem poles. One famous totem pole they carved is in Stanley Park. They also made two for the Capilano Mall in North Vancouver during the 1980s.

Ron Telek's Unique Art Style

After learning from his uncle, Ron Telek developed his own special style. He used traditional techniques from the Northwest Coast. A big event in his life changed his art. He was in a serious car accident. This experience made him focus on the idea of transformation in his art.

He also studied different art forms. He learned about anatomy, which is the study of the body. He also looked at sculpting styles from Africa, Japan, and Italy. He studied these at Langara College in Vancouver.

What Ron Telek Carved

Ron Telek's first art show was in 1985. It was at the Inuit Gallery of Vancouver. Since then, his art has been shown in many cities. These include New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria. He made many different kinds of art. He created wooden bowls and even puppets. But he mostly focused on making masks.

These carved masks often show the natural beauty of the wood. Ron sometimes left them unpainted. This showed off the wood's grain and color. These masks often represent spiritual beings. They look similar to special spirit masks called Nax Nox.

Themes in His Art

Ron Telek's art often explored deep ideas. He was interested in the spiritual side of his traditions. This included ideas about shamans, who are spiritual healers. His art showed spirit-helpers. It also explored his own ideas about good and evil.

A very important theme in his work was shapeshifting. This is the idea of humans changing into animals. Or animals changing into other animals. He used a traditional carving style. This style was like that of the Nisga'a Gitsontk artists. These artists made objects like masks and puppets. They used these items in sacred ceremonies.

Where He Lived

Ron Telek lived in Terrace, British Columbia.

Exhibitions

In 2001, one of Ron Telek's totem poles was shown. It was exhibited at the Alcheringa Gallery.