Jay Coutts was born in Prince George BC in 1966. He's a member of the Nakazdl'l band and is of Carrier and Cree descent. He's a skilled hunter, fisherman, gatherer, homebuilder, artist, and craftsman.
Jay crafts and carves totem poles, masks, plaques, cedar boxes, cooking and eating utensils, furniture, canoes, drums, and grave markers. He also carves and sculpts in antler, bone, stone and metals.
Jay's creates these carvings using no tools but two carving knives - a straight knife and a hook knife. And he makes his own knives. That's how he was trained. The backs of the carvings are hooked (hollowed) out to prevent cracking. They're 'knife finished' - that there is no sandpaper used. Then coated with natural wax and polished.
View Jay's Net Making Tools, and handmade knife.
