Photo: A. Holbrook

Coast Salish carver John Marston (Qap’u’luq) was born in 1978 into a family of exceptional artists in Ladysmith, British Columbia. He has worked with many other prominent Northwest Coast carvers, including Simon Charlie, Silas Coon, Shawn Karpes, Wayne Young, and his brother, Luke Marston. His career has also been shaped by careful study of museum collections and by travel and cultural exchanges, including a trip to the Sepik River and exchange with Sepik carver Teddy Balangu in 2006 (documented in the award-winning film Killer Whale and Crocodile and an exhibition in Japan the following year. In 2009, John was honoured with the BC Creative Achievement Award for Aboriginal Art.

Extraordinary dimensionality, bold design, and exquisite finishing are trademarks of John’s carving. His work can be viewed at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, the Vancouver Airport, and the Vancouver Convention Centre, and is included in other major public and private collections worldwide.