This beautiful little Squamish carving is a First Nations vintage gem. Signed by the artist and dated 1986. Eagle and a crescent moon-man are shown together, along with another entity on the eagle’s wing shoulder, perhaps a frog. Measures just 9.5 x 4.5 x 1.25 but has a beautiful rounded hand-rubbed finish and crisp accurate carving throughout. Priced at $325. The piece is vintage and does show some patina of life through it’s decades, but is in great condition nonetheless. Zoom in on the photo and check it out.

The artist is a Skwxwu7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation) carver born in 1962. He works and lives in Xwemech’stn (Capilano IR Indian Reserve) where he grew up.

He has been carving since he was 10 years old and first learned to carve while watching his mentors Jim Paul, Pat Charlie, Chris Paul, and his uncle Al August and learned to carve alongside Jimmy Charlie, Russell Williams, Paul Joseph, and Richie Baker.

He specializes in fine detailed yellow and red cedar projects big or small and loved to create intricate masks, three-dimensional figure, rattles, totem poles plaques, bowls and talking stick.

Tom loves to use animals and indigenous themes in his art and uses bears, killer whales, salmon, eagles, hawks, wolf, and many more animals to use in his visions.

X̱wemelch’stn, usually anglicized as Homulchesan, is a large community within the Squamish Nation of the Squamish people, who are a part of the Coast Salish ethnic and linguistic group. The name X̱wemelch’stn, translates to “Fast Moving Water of Fish”, relating to the Capilano River.

The Squamish Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, is a First Nations government of the Squamish people. It manages 26 First Nations reserves located around the Capilano River, Mosquito Creek, and Seymour River on the north shore of Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia, and along the Squamish River, and in Gibsons and Port Mellon in the Howe Sound.

The Squamish Nation has close ties with Tsleil-Waututh Nation, who reside further east on Burrard Inlet and to the Musqueam who reside on the southern edge of the city of Vancouver. They also jointly own private land holdings with them, and Lil’wat as well.

The Squamish Nation is responsible for managing assets and revenues generated by the Squamish Nation, providing several programs and services to the Squamish People, and representing the Squamish People in intergovernmental relations with other Canadian governments and industries that operate within its territory.