Joseph Campbell

(1948 – Present, Coast Salish)

Born in 1948 on the Musqueam Reserve in Vancouver, British Columbia, Joseph is a Coast Salish artist who works primarily in wood carving. Joseph’s ancestral name, Katxalacha, was handed down to him by the Paull family. His father, Sylvester, was an artist and carver who created ceremonial masks and house posts using traditional Salish designs. Joseph’s brother, Danny Campbell, was also an artist who provided Joseph with his first carving knife and gave him his first lessons in carving techniques and styles. It was Danny’s influence, and his preference for the highly structured and often complex form lines of the northern cultures, that continues to inspire Joseph’s work today.

Early in his career, Joseph carved in a number of different forms but after a period of study with master bentwood box carver Larry Rosso, Joseph dedicated himself to the mastery of traditional box design and carving. He has also studied with Master Haida artist Robert Davidson and learned bronze casting under the tutelage of George Rimmel at Capilano College. Today Joseph’s bentwood boxes are in high demand amongst collectors for their harmonic proportions and expertly executed traditional designs.