Reg Davidson was born in 1954 in Masset, Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). He began carving in 1972, creating small bowls, pipes, and sculptures using argillite, the proprietary regional stone found only on Haida Gwaii. Reg was invited to travel with a group of fellow Northwest Coast artists to give a demonstration of argillite carving in Germany in 1976. Upon his return, Reg began an apprenticeship with his brother, Master Carver Robert Davidson. Together, they carved the Charles Edenshaw memorial panel that can now be found in their hometown. Reg later collaborated with seven other carvers to create the four posts for the longhouse under Robert’s supervision.

     The eighties saw Reg and Robert continue their collaborations. In 1980, they founded the Rainbow Creek Dancers, a group that performed traditional Haida songs and dances. Red became their principal dancer. He was also commissioned by Malaspina College to carve a totem pole for Tamagawa University in Japan that same year, and he performed in the dedication ceremony in January 1981. Reg continued his apprenticeship with Robert over the next five years, and continued to work on major carving projects, including the Three Watchmen for the MacLean-Hunter Building in Toronto, Ontario. In 1986, Reg carved a totem pole to commemorate receiving his chief’s name. In the years since, Reg has established himself as an internationally recognized artist adept in many mediums, including wood carving, serigraphs, and jewelry. In 2008, he was awarded the BC Creative Achievement Award for First Nations Art, and his work can be found in many significant public, corporate, and private collections around the world.