Terry Starr facts for kids

Terry Starr is a talented artist from the Tsimshian Nation in British Columbia, Canada. He belongs to the Gispaxlo'ots tribe, one of the many groups of the Tsimshian people. Terry Starr is known for his amazing artwork, especially his carvings and masks, which show the rich traditions of his ancestors.

Early Life and Family Roots

Terry Starr's family history is very important to his art. His mother came from Kitsumkalum and was part of the Eagle Clan. His father was from Lax Kw'alaams, also known as Port Simpson, and belonged to the Killerwhale Clan. In Tsimshian culture, clans are like large family groups, and each has special symbols called crests. Terry's main family crest is the Eagle, from his mother's side, and his other crest is the Killerwhale, from his father's side.

Special Names

Terry Starr received special names during his life, which is a tradition in his culture. When he was six years old, the Chief of his tribe gave him the childhood name Alu'-Alums. This name means 'Crying for or longing after something or someone.' He received it after his grandfather passed away. Later, when he returned to his village after being away for a long time, the acting Chief gave him his adult name, Thla-enak. This name means 'It's been a long time.'

Becoming an Artist

After finishing a business course in college in 1982, Terry Starr decided to follow his passion for art. He bought his first carving tools: two adzes (special axe-like tools for shaping wood) and three knives.

Learning from Masters

Terry learned a lot from other skilled artists. Two important teachers were Tim Paul from the Nuu-chah-nulth Nation and Richard Hunt from the Kwakwaka’wakw people. They taught him the basic ways to carve wood. Their old family styles greatly influenced the beautiful art Terry creates today. In 1984, he spent time learning carving techniques from Richard Hunt, a master Kwagiulth artist. He learned at famous places like Thunderbird Park and the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, British Columbia.

Terry's Unique Masks

Terry Starr is most famous for his masks. These masks show the traditional colors and designs of his ancestors. He often paints only part of his masks. This way, you can still see the natural, flowing patterns of the wood grain, which makes each mask special. His artwork is so well-known that it can be found in many art collections around the world. For example, the Paul and Joan Gluck Collection has over 200 pieces of Native art, collected for more than 20 years, and it's one of the biggest collections anywhere! Terry's art was also shown in an exhibit at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, a large history museum in the United States.

Building Big Houses

Terry Starr has also worked on very large projects. He was hired twice to build full-size copies of a traditional Tsimshian bighouse. A bighouse is a large, long building where many families used to live together. For both projects, Terry was in charge of hiring and teaching a team of carvers. One bighouse was built for the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. The other was built right in his home village of Port Simpson, where he grew up.

Art Exhibitions

Terry Starr's artwork has been shown in many art shows and galleries. Here are some of them:

• 1987 Hands of Creation, Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
• 1989 Masks: An Exhibition of Northwest Coast Masks, Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
• 1990 Painted Drums of the Northwest Coast, Inuit Gallery, Vancouver, BC
• 1993 Changing Faces, Stonington Gallery, Seattle, WA
• 1994 Life of the Copper: A Commonwealth of Tribal Nations, Alcheringa Gallery, Victoria, BC