Folk Arts - Master Artist - Ralph Bennett

Ralph Bennett. Photo by Fritz Dent.

Ralph Bennett carved his first totem pole at age six, learning the craft from his father, Master carver John R. Bennett (Kwan Kilt Kwan). Ralph’s earliest carving experience was helping construct racks for drying salmon. He helped his father make masks, paddles, bowls, totems and fishing gear out of red and yellow cedar. Ralph learned techniques from his Alaskan tribe, the Haida, and other local carving styles. The pieces he made while under apprenticeship of his father were used in ceremonial dance and storytelling. In the recent years Ralph Bennett has been awarded internationally for his work including the 1996 Medal of Honor in Nantes, France; the Redmond Volunteer Arts Award as Advocate of the Arts in Redmond, Washington; and most recently the Governor’s Heritage Award, from the Washington State Art Commission. Ralph has had apprentices for the past ten years and is committed to sharing tribal knowledge with others.

Bennett received Washington State's highest artistic honor in 2000 as the recipient of a Governor's Heritage Award.

As a recipient of a 2001 Apprenticeship grant, Bennett taught Fred Fulmer traditional tribal carving methods. Fred is an Alaskan native from the Tlingit tribe. Fred is one of the founding members of Qu-tee-ya, a modern dance group that keeps alive the tradition of storytelling. He had also been carving cedar part-time for the past five and a half years with a Tlingit elder named Ray Nielsen Sr. Fred’s goal is to make carvings to use as regalia in his dance group.