Beau Wagner is a Coast Salish canoe carver and artist. He apprenticed under Stz’uminus Elder and Master Carver ShYa’QuThut (Elmer Sampson) and has been carving for over 30 years. Beau was born and raised in Nanaimo and lives there with his wife and children.
Beau began wood carving as a young child and built his first skin on frame kayak when he was 15. As a youth he received great healing from being on the ocean. He later went to school to become a shipwright and finally found his way back to the Land through working with cedar. He now creates a variety of works including dugout canoes, masks, bentwood boxes, bowls, welcome posts, rattles, and paddles. His work continues to evolve as the cedar connects him with the snawayalth (wisdom).
