Isaac, Eugene
Eugene Isaac was born in Alert Bay B.C on in1958 into the Namgis First Nation (Alert Bay) Also Kweeha Kwakiutl (Fort Rupert roots on his grandmother’s side) also of the Kwa-kwa-a-wak nation he became interested in native art in his early teens at Alert Bay. A beautiful painting of a thunderbird by Chief Henry Speck Sr. was displayed in the school hallway. It was that painting which inspired him to become an artist. He has been working as an artist now for 28 years. It was back in the early seventies when Beau Dick came to his school to teach an art course that is when he began my training as an artist.
His influences include Willie Seaweed, Charlie James, Mungo Martin, Bob Harris, Andy Beans, Doug Cranmer, Wayne Alfred and Beau Dick. Eugene apprenticed under Beau Dick and Wayne Alfred. His first love of the art involved making designs of killer whales thunderbirds, sea monsters, and double headed sea serpents (sisiutls)