Gates, Donavon
Born on March 10th of 1954, Donavon Gates is a registered member of the Old Massett band from Haida Gwai (Queen Charlotte) Islands on the North-West Coast of British Columbia. Through his mother’s side of the family he shares the raven crest, which is one of the two main crests of the Haida nation.
Donavon has always been a carver at heart. Working in such mediums as wood, silver, and prints, his main material in the earlier days was Argillite. Now he is focused on wood carvings - without loosing his skill needed for the stone carvings. Some of the artists who taught him this craft include Eli Bell, Dilbert Bell, Hector Thompson, and Maury Clark.
After carving for decades, he has developed an exceptional quality of craftsmanship. You really don't find this exceptional quality often, and Donavon's pieces of fine art are highly sought after. They are mainly sold into private collections and shown in exhibitions in North America.
