Joshua Watts – Commissioned Artist

Joshua Watts is a Nuu-Chah-Nulth, and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh First Nations professional artist. He has been creating art since 2013. He was raised in Squamish where he started making art under the mentorship of hereditary chief and master carver Ray Natroro. Joshua has studied under many great artists such as: the late chief and master carver Beau Dick, Ray Natraoro, Wayne Alfred, Corey Bulpitt, Joe Martin, Gordon Dick and Linda Lindsay, amounting to over 8 years of intense mentorship. He recently finished his debut solo exhibition titled “Gifts from the Ancestors” shown at the Victoria arts council. He is also leading research towards cultural revitalization, facilitating land based learning initiatives and continually discovering the beauty of his ancestry through the art of his people. He is a 2 times recipient of the YVR Art foundation Artist scholarship award, with further recognition from the founder Frank O’Neilfor his contribution in cultural revitalization in First Nations communities.