Ben Houstie was born into the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation in 1960 in Waglisla, along the south coast of British Columbia.
Ben started expressing his artistic abilities at a young age. He began painting on paper and canvas then progressed to carving cedar. In recent years he has continued to expand his range of work to include gold and silver Jewellery. He is most well known for his paintings as he has mastered the two dimensional artform.
Ben is one of the few Westcoast Native artists that produce small original paintings and miniature wood masks. The style that he has created is all his own yet maintains the traditional forms of his cultural heritage. It is important to him that he help preserve his cultural background through his artwork for future generations.
