Xuuya' - Terrance Richard Baker

Summer, 2018

Xuuya’ - Terrance Richard Baker (Haida/Skwxwu7mesh/Hawaiian), is a traditional artist and storyteller who was born in the waterways close to his mother’s homeland in Haida Gwaii. He began carving at the age of 6, and was self-taught until the age of 16, when he began to knife carve with Skwxwu7mesh artists Stan Joseph, and Floyd Joseph. This work is known as the “Capilano Style” of his work. He began mask carving by the age of 18, and was carving canoes and totems as well as building boats. He was a self-taught metal fabrication worker, and has made his own tools throughout his carving career. Xuuya’ carved his first major pole project with Reg Davidson in the 80’s, which began his “Haida Style.”  He has been noted as carving with artists such as Bill Reid, Jim Hart, Guujaw-Gary Edenshaw, Tony Hunt, Cary Newman, Calvin Hunt and Ray Natraro on several sculptures, canoes and totems. He carved in black slate with his cousin, Hank White, during the early 80’s and began learning more stylistic carving through projects with Beau Dick. He has been involved in numerous carving projects with Xwalactun - Rick Harry over the past 25 years, and continues to work on projects with him. Xuuya’ has carved more than 3000 paddles in both Haida and Capilano Styles, including his own paddles which have journeyed with him on the big ocean waterways in sea-going canoes. Xuuya’ has been a skipper on most of those journeys. His work has been presented in galleries and public spaces from his homelands in Haida Gwaii, throughout Canada, the USA, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.