Clarence Bird

Clarence Keith Bird was a talented Cree artist from Saddle Lake First Nation. He was born in Lethbridge, Alberta but was raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Keith was involved with art from an early age. He began sketching seriously when he was 14 years old, and, within that year was granted a scholarship at the Mendel Art Gallery. He was inspired to begin carving driftwood and cedar at the age of 15. One of his early carving mentors was Lloyd Pinay. He also carved under the watchful eye of Dave Kemp.
Keith moved to Vancouver, B.C. in the summer of 1999 where he began to carve soapstone under the tutelage of his uncle, Donnie Bird. He developed his own unique style, experimenting with a number of different materials, such as marble, Brazilian soapstone, alabaster, and black chloride. He was passionate about his artwork, working hard to perfect each piece.

He believed that art can contribute to the preservation of nature through awareness of the people and wildlife of the land. As a result, the relationship between man and his environment was frequently reflected in his work. Keith’s unique stone sculptures are now residing in different parts of the world in select galleries as well as private collections.