John Livingston was a non-Indigenous carver closely associated with the Hunt family of Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw carvers. Formally adopted into the family in 2017, he is remembered by Indigenous artists as a skilled and respectful teacher [1]. According to his MOA biography, he learned from Henry and Tony Hunt in the 1970s and worked on major commissions with leading carvers including Calvin Hunt, Don Yeomans, and Robert Davidson. In 1969, Livingston and Tony Hunt opened Arts of the Raven, a major force in Northwest Coast art for over 20 years [2]. Livingston was also a noted restorer and collector, with much of his silver jewelry and spoon collection now at the MOA.

Although Northwest Coast communities may differ in their interpretations of the distinctive shield shape and “t-bar” component of a Copper (including that the form may represent a human body), all agree that Coppers stand for wealth and prestige for those who possess them. This large, handmade Copper depicts a Sea Bear painted in black formline. The head of the Sea Bear is framed under the mouth by a pair of fins, with its formidable claws filling the bottom half of the composition. The metallurgical work of this piece is phenomenal and closely mirrors the execution of historic examples.

1. John Livingston Obituary. Times Colonist. 22 March 2019. https:// www.timescolonist.com/local-news/obituary-john-livingston-artist-whose-work-is-all-around-us-4671061. Accessed 21 August 2025.

2. John Livingston Biography. Museum of Anthropology at UBC MOA CAT. https://collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/person?person=1764&tab=biography. Accessed 21 August 2025.

Christopher W. Smith