Ben Houstie
Kwakwaka'wakw
Ben Houstie is a Heiltsuk Nation artist born in 1960 in Bella Bella, British Columbia.
Ben began expressing his artistic abilities at a young age. He began painting on paper and canvas, then progressed to printmaking, carving cedar, and silver and gold jewellery-making. Houstie has worked with different artists, including Cheryl Hall, Robert Hall, David Gladstone, and Beau Dick. In 1988, he worked under Bill Reid, painting several drums of Bill’s designs and 20 paddles for the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. In 2000, Ben painted several reconstructed artworks for the Museum of Anthropology’s “The Transforming Image” exhibition at the University of British Columbia.
Houstie developed his unique style, maintaining and preserving the traditional forms of his cultural heritage and background through his artwork.
Artwork
| Title | Last Sold At Auction | |
|---|---|---|
| KILLER WHALE | 2016-03 (March 2016) | |
| KILLER WHALE/SEAL | 2013-03 (March 2013) | |
| SEA OTTER | 2018-11 (November 2018) | |
| "BUTTERFLY" & "LOON" | 2021-06 (June 2021) | |
| "EAGLE SUN/KILLER WHALE", "LOON", EAGLE SUN/CANADA GOOSE" | 2022-07 (July 2022) | |
| EAGLE, 1987 | 2023-09 (September 2023) | |
| EAGLE/KILLER WHALE, 1986 | 2023-09 (September 2023) | |
| EMERGING KILLER WHALE TRANSFORMATION, TO RAVEN | 2018-11 (November 2018) | |
| FROG FAMILY | 2018-11 (November 2018) | |
| HUMMING BIRD | 2015-12 (December 2015) | |
| HUMMING BIRD (SIC), 1989 | 2023-09 (September 2023) | |
| KILLER WHALE | 2021-06 (June 2021) | |
| KILLER WHALE, 1983 | 2023-09 (September 2023) | |
| KILLER WHALE, 1987 | 2023-09 (September 2023) | |
| KILLERWHALE | 2015-12 (December 2015) | |
| MATING, 1983 | 2023-09 (September 2023) | |
| PAINTED WOODEN PANEL | 2023-11 (November 2023) | |
| TRUMPETER SWAN, 1983 | 2023-09 (September 2023) |
