• Artists: Gary Olver
• Gemstones: Mother of Pearl, Pipestone (Catlinite)
• Totem Symbols: Wolf
• Styles: Canadian First Nations, Gemstone Jewelry
• Categories: Pendants

Wolf

Wolf is a symbol of loyalty, great strength, determination, and strong family ties. Highly respected, the wolf is seen as having a great likeness to people, as they form family units, hunt in groups, and mate for life. They are considered wise, understanding, and steadfast. Some First Nation groups believe that great hunters are reincarnated as wolves.

Pipestone (Catlinite)

Pipestone is a type of argillite traditionally used as a stone for making peace pipes, prayer items, and totems. Pipestone is an excellent stone for meditation and can bring us deep inner peace. It helps to realize that the spiritual and physical are interconnected and that prayer and ritual can be incorporated into everyday life. We can see that everything is sacred and no one can be set apart from everything else.

Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl also known as Narce, is the inner shell produced by certain mollusk varieties and is the same material which pearls are composed of. Shells are connected to the sea, and are thought to offer a calming energy, soothing stresses, tempering fears and promoting relaxation. Aids the wearer in self expression, helping you to find your inner wisdom, enhancing communication and guiding you to express yourself in effective ways.

Gary Olver

Originally from Northern Manitoba and of Cree descent, Gary Olver moved to British Columbia in 1975 and, inspired by Northwest Coast art, he learned to carve argillite and studied with established Artist Tom Eneas. Gary developed a unique and personal approach to argillite carving, and is now one of the best miniature carvers on the Northwest Coast. Before his artistic career, Olver worked as a professional actor in films and television series, such as X-Files and Highlander. His acting career came to a halt during a tragic accident in which some of his speech was lost. During this time he began to carve to help his dexterity and with time he developed a keen interest in making art. Catlinite, also known as “pipe stone,” is traditionally carved by the Cree and was traded with people living on the Northwest Coast. Gary incorporates this stone into his argillite work to acknowledge his roots, as well as to expand his design possibilities. He has also had his works cast in silver and gold to make exquisite jewelry pieces.