Northwest Coast, British Columbia
Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw, (also called Kwakiutl) – Lloyd Wadhams, Carver

Wood, straw
ca. 1970s
Length: 9 in; Width: 4.5 in
Idiophones – Struck Indirectly – Rattles

Signed: Lloyd Wadhams, Albert, BC.

Northwest Coast ‘Face’ Rattle with straw on top by Lloyd Wadhams (1938-1992), a member of the ‘Namgis First Nation Indian Band, on northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia. This human face carved rattle is carved from red cedar and is not painted, but  signifies human attributes.

Wadhams, a Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl) Nation artist grew up in Alert Bay and was taught to carve by Chief Henry Speck. He attended St. Michael’s School in Alert Bay, but left school at 13 to take up carving.  He worked both as a fisherman and carved during the off season and is known for carving an 8-foot pole for Lieutenant Governor Frank Ross in 1957.  

Wadhams moved to Vancouver in 1965 to seriously work on tourist art.  Then in 1967 Lloyd Wadhams carved four totem poles presented to the citizens of New Westminister, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Surrey to honour Canada’s centenary.  Among his most famous commissions was a chalice that he carved for Pope John Paul II’s 1984 visit to Ottawa, ON.  Wadhams began to work in silver in 1970 and it became his medium of choice in later years.  He trained his son Lloyd Wadhams Jr., in wood and silver carving, who has also become quite well-known as a talented artist, following the same passion as his father.

Resource:  https://www.lattimergallery.com/collections/lloyd-wadhams-sr;  https://ceremonialart.ca/lloyd-wadhams-sr/