Kevin Cranmer, a Kwakwaka’wakw artist, was born on June 22, 1967, in Alert Bay, British Columbia, and spent all but four years of his life in Victoria. As a young boy, Cranmer often joined his father at Tony Hunt's original Arts of the Raven Gallery, where he first became interested in art while observing his father and other artists. His initial formal training was with his cousin, George Hunt Jr. Later, Cranmer sought guidance from master carver Tony Hunt to deepen his knowledge of traditional Kwakwaka’wakw design. At "Raven Arts," he worked alongside esteemed artists such as Tony Hunt Sr., Tony Hunt Jr., and Calvin Hunt, starting with small carvings like plaques, rattles, and figures, and eventually advancing to masks, feast dishes, and model poles.
Cranmer's venture into larger monumental sculpture commenced when he began working with the distinguished Nuu-Chah-Nulth artist Tim Paul in Thunderbird Park at the Royal British Columbia Museum. This experience was particularly meaningful for Cranmer because Thunderbird Park was significantly shaped by Mungo Martin, a celebrated Kwakwaka’wakw artist and Cranmer's relative through marriage to his great grandmother, Abayah.
Prestine Condition ~ Printed in 2006 ~ Edition 114/270
