James Sawyer is a Haida artist and a descendant of the Skidegate Giidins Clan. Despite being born and raised in Vancouver, he maintained close family connections and an affinity to Haida art through his uncle, Doug Wilson. He would move to Haida Gwaii in 1992 to be closer to his Haida culture and to work among some of the major Haida artists. He has been a career artist since 1997. He works largely in silver and gold, producing classic examples of Haida jewellery with tight crosshatching and sharp details. The Haida have only two clans or moieties, Eagle and Raven, which control marriage and the inheritance of important positions. The Hummingbird has become more common in jewellery because it is a reference to good luck and travellers seek it on long journeys as a sign of a safe and prosperous trip. It is therefore ideally suited for the wrist of anyone moving throughout the world.

Gary Wyatt