Dempsey Bob: A Wolf’s Story

In 1969, Dempsey Bob began studying art at the Friendship House in Prince Rupert with legendary Haida artist Freda Diesing, whose work and instruction led to a revival of traditional mainland carving in British Columbia. He continued his studies at the Gitanmaax School of Art in Hazelton in 1972, and again in 1974. Throughout his career, he has travelled extensively, further enriching his education. In Alaska, he studied totem poles and masks. In Italy, he learned about Western art and bronze casting. He also journeyed to various other countries in Europe as well as to Japan, Russia, Hawaii and, most notably and numerously, New Zealand. There, he encountered Indigenous peoples who, like his own, have a canoe and sea culture, and are longhouse people, artists, wood carvers and weavers. In traditions and worldview, Dempsey Bob feels a deep kinship with the Māori, considering them to be his brothers and sisters.

Merging a classic Northwest coast style with unique contemporary variations, the artist is a paragon of formal and technical prowess. His technique is so perfected that the wood seems malleable, and the carvings’ highly polished surfaces and striking imagery glow with vitality. Furthermore, the lines in Dempsey Bob’s work – including those on textiles sewn by his sister, Linda Bob – are of an exquisitely fluid and controlled quality, which stems from his commitment to drawing.

The artist now lives in Terrace, British Columbia, surrounded by a majestic landscape that both inspires and nurtures him. The connection he feels to nature and the land permeates his being, guiding his thoughts and actions and, ultimately, his art. Observing wildlife in their natural habitat enables him to portray their appearance accurately. But what makes Dempsey Bob’s work even more unique is the aspect of character, behaviour and essence he infuses in his depictions, be they of the Raven, Bear, Eagle, Frog, Wolf or any other animal. And whether in single form or as a melding of various species – including humans – all of the artist’s figures embody his culture, telling the stories of his ancestors.

The artist also laments the losses of material culture provoked by colonization. In seeing Tlingit poles and masks and other Indigenous collections in museums all over the world, he has been forced to confront the nefarious actions inflicted upon his and other Indigenous peoples. Similarly challenging for him is the inappropriate presence of Shaman pieces in museums, where they lie dormant, devoid of their sacred life force. His first trip to the American Museum of Natural History in New York awakened him to a devastating truth: “I realized what they took from us, what they did. Those pieces were calling me. They wanted to go home. They haven’t heard our songs for over a hundred years.”³ Dempsey Bob’s sensitivity to these injustices has propelled a prolific output that is like a form of restitution: by providing a new body of work, he is able to perpetuate the culture and traditions that were nearly obliterated.

In addition to his remarkable artistic practice, Dempsey Bob is one of the most influential educators of his time. He gives lectures and workshops, and teaches courses worldwide. He is also a founding member of the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art in Terrace, British Columbia, where alongside his peers, he invests in imparting the importance of the land and culture to ensuring continuity for future generations of his people.