Gus, Ramona (1928-2017)
Ramona Gus (nee Taylor) is a Tsheshaht artist and elder. She started carving in 1963 and seriously carving in 1966. “I made totems, plaques, paddles, masks and speaker staffs selling them to stores in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Qualicum and Seattle; also selling to people who came to my door to buy. I branched out to painting, cards and silkscreen prints. I have worked on long houses, in Tsheshaht Village and another for the Canadian Museum of Civilization." Totem Poles - Dee Olsen - Seattle - six foot totem pole Gallery Shows - Rolling Art Gallery, Port Alberni 1976/1980 - Malaspina Art Gallery, Nanaimo 1978 - Seward Park Gallery, South Seattle 1978 - Point Defience, Seattle 1979.
Ramona was born at Polly's Point near Alberni, BC; she was delivered by her paternal grandmother Emma David. Ramona's parents were Dave Taylor of Tseshaht First Nation and her mother was Elizabeth Cole of Squamish Nation.
Ramona had five children. She had an older half-brother George Paul and an adopted brother Timothy Nelson. Ramona had many profession from the Royal Canadian Air Force, nurse's aid at Nanaimo Hospital, Tseshaht Band Councillor, Tseshaht Band Administrator, Director of Port Alberni Friendship Centre; teacher's aid at Grandview School but most memorable was her art, her carvings and her quilts in later years.
Sadly Ramona passed away in 2017