Valencia Bird

Valencia Bird was born Northern Cree on September 20, 1973 in Fort McLeod, AB, from the Saddle Lake First Nation near St. Paul, Alberta. She is a mother of four children, two boys and two girls, Currently, she is teaching her daughters the wonder of working with stone. Her signature style incorporates an incredible ability to balance her carvings, as though they are caught in a frozen dance.

In 1998, Valencia spent many hours watching her uncle, Donnie Bird, carve in his workshop. Eventually, Donnie offered her a piece of stone and told her, “You’ve been watching long enough now, you should know what to do.” Thus began Valencia’s career!

Valencia has a deep reverence for the northern elements - clear flowing movement, well rounded curves, and deep emotion emit within each piece.

IN Vancouver, Valencia has completed courses at the Native Educational College in 2017. She has completed Northwest Coast Jewelry Art and Design in NOrthern and Coast Slaish style. She has also learned art form in paper, canvas, and in wood on her own.

Valencia carves grizzly, black, and polar bears in different poses such as standing, walking, dancing, digging, fishing, jumping and swimming. She carves buffalo, seals, owls, eagles, and whales. Several pieces have been humanoid, often depicting the true ruggedness of natural life, mother and child, the hunter, the lovers, each piece touching the inner chi of the viewer and connects to the inner true nature.

She has worked with serpentine, alabaster, chlorite, African wonderstone, catalinite (commonly referred to as pipestone), and both BC and Brazilian soapstone. Her pieces have sold both in Canada and internationally. Some pieces have been sold to collectors from Germany, Thailand, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.