Shane Wilson

Shane Wilson is a sculptor who has lived and worked in Yukon, Canada, since 1987. His principal medium is antler, horn, ivory and bone, but he has recently begun working in bronze, as well. His signature style is a juxtaposition of abstract organic and non-organic shapes, as best seen in his moose skull sculpture "Duality".

Originally beginning with other art forms like drawing, oil and acrylic painting, clay sculpture and photography, his interest in antler carving began in 1985 when he attended a show of antler carvings by Maureen Morris, a well known carver from Atlin, British Columbia.

After moving to the Yukon Territory, Canada, in 1987, where the supply of antlers is plentiful, he began experimenting with this interest and found great creative and tactile potential in the medium. He has since worked in antler, bone, horn, mammoth tusk, stone and now bronze in his line of cast skulls that include bear, wolf, wolverine and even human in the collection entitled "Skullpture". Since then, he has produced a long list of pieces, and has had commissions and shows across several continents.

In recent years Shane has been teaching the art of antler carving during Red Deer College's "Series: Summer School of the Visual Arts" in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

The 2007 Canada Winter Games Torches

Main Article: 2007 Canada Games

In 2006, Shane was commissioned to create three torches to be used in the pan-Northern Relay prior to the 2007 Canada Winter Games. Each torch was carved from a full cariboo antler, and each was representative of one of the three Canadian Territories. Artist's CWG Torch Relay Coverage

The Great Antler Heist

On Saturday, September 15th, 2007, Whitehorse, Yukon was hit by the "Great Antler Heist" or "Yukon's Thomas Crown Affair", as it was variously dubbed in the local media. Shane Wilson's coverage collection page.

During an unplanned, city-wide power outage at approximately 6:30 am, a thief or thieves broke into the Canada Games Center and stole the giant piece "Yukon Seasons", carved from a complete moose skull and antler set. It was the only item taken during the brazen robbery. Police have yet to announce any leads in the case. Whitehorse Daily Star article

Updates: On April 8, 2008 an anonymous person returned Yukon Seasons to the Whitehorse detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The person was not associated with the theft, according to the RCMP spokesperson. Apart from some discolouration and a broken tine (recovered at the scene of the crime), Yukon Seasons was recovered intact.

On December 2, 2008, the restored Yukon Seasons was unveiled to the public in its old home at the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon. Valery Monahan, a conservator with the Yukon Government, performed the restorative work on the sculpture. Valery's notes and pics. Yukon Government Minister for Tourism and Culture, Elaine Taylor and Whitehorse Mayor, Pam Buckway, were on hand for the opening and spoke at the event. Shane Wilson was also in attendance and thanked those who helped with the recovery and restoration of the sculpture. Shane Wilson's coverage collection page.

Shows

• The Art of Change: Works from the Yukon Permanent Art Collection, Yukon Arts Centre Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, 2005
  
• Explore and Embrace a Special Wild Place, (Sponsored by The Wildlife Viewing Program, Yukon Government, in collaboration with the Yukon Art Society), Yukon Art Society Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, 2005
  
• The Vernacular of Robert Service Festival Show, MacBride Museum, Whitehorse, Yukon, 2005
  
• Tenth Anniversary Annual Robert Service Dinner: Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Robert Service's Arrival in Yukon, "The Shooting of Dan McGrew", 2004
  
• The International Exhibitions of Sculptural Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) 2004, Accepted to attend with Portfolio as a member of Canada's Trade Mission, organized by the Canadian Consulate General in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2004
  
• Instructors' Show - Series: Summer School for the Visual Arts, Red Deer College Library, Red Deer College, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, 2004
  
• Grand Opening Show, Yukon Artists @ Work Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon, 2004
  
• Redism.com: A New Kind of Art Gallery: Virtual Art Competition and Gallery (sponsored by Bass Beer): First Place - Sculpture, 2003
  
• Yukon Arts Centre Gallery Tenth Anniversary Show, Yukon Arts Centre Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, June-July 2002
  
• FNAWS - Foundation for North American Wild Sheep Convention, 2001, Reno, Nevada, USA, 2001
  
• Euroart 2000, Barcelona, Spain, (selected by Euroart 2000 to represent Canada; Artists' Calalogue), 2000
  
• New Beginnings, Odd Gallery - Grand Opening, Dawson City, Yukon, Canada, (Gallery and Show opened by Her Excellency, the Right Honorable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada), 2000
  
• Convergence: The Exhibition of the 2000 Arctic Winter Games, Yukon Arts Centre Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, (Show opened by Her Excellency, the Right Honorable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada), 2000
  
• Light, Yukon Arts Centre Gallery, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, 1999
  
• Northern Encounters '99: A Circumpolar Festival of the Arts,Toronto and Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada, (see advertizement), 1999
  
• Love, Romance and Erotica, The Guild, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, 1999
  
• The Great Northern Arts Festival, Inuvik, NWT., Canada, 1998
  
• The Fireweed Festival, Faro, Yukon, Canada, (First Place: Carving, Fine Art), 1998
  
• Whitehorse International Airport, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada (Ongoing display 1997-2001)
  
• Yukon Native Products, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada (Show and demonstration), 1996
  
• Arts-Fest 95, Faro, Yukon, Canada, 1995

Public Collections and Commissions

• The Yukon Arts Centre Gallery Permanent Collection: "Candle Ice, 1999", 2008
• The Governments of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut: Three Torches representing Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut (each Territory's representative Torch donated by the Canada Winter Games Host Society to that Territory for permanent display, 2007)
  
• The Whitehorse 2007 Canada Winter Games: Three Torches representing Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut (Commissioned by Touch The North Inc. for donation to the Canada Winter Games Host Society, 2006)
  
• The Yukon Permanent Art Collection: "Yukon Seasons, 2003" (STOLEN - Sept 15, 2007)
  (Donated in full to the Yukon Permanent Art Collection by the artist, dedicated, with gratitude, to Ruth McCullough, for her hard work and singular dedication to fostering visual art and fine craft in Yukon, 2006)
  
• The Yukon Hospital Foundation: "Tundra Swan" (commissioned as a symbol for the "Under Our Wings" Fundraising Campaign - see: web site, promotional poster), 2005
  
• J.C. Wilson Chemicals Ltd.: "Humpback Breaching", 2005
  
• The Collection of Yukon Member of Parliament, the Hon. Larry Bagnell: "The Shooting of Dan McGrew", (On Loan to the MacBride Museum, Whitehorse, Yukon), 2004
  
• The Collection of The Right Honourable Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada: 'Yukon Voice' (commissioned by the Yukon Territorial Government as a gift, upon his visit to Yukon, August 13-14), 2004
  
• Redism.com: A New Kind of Art Gallery: Virtual Art Competition and Gallery (sponsored by Bass Beer): First Place - Sculpture, 2003
  
• The Grand Slam Club: Moose Antler Carving of Fannin Sheep, for Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS) Convention, 2001
  
• The Collection of Yukon Supreme Court Justice, the Hon. Ron Veale: "Denali" (on display in his Chambers), 2000
  
• The Yukon Permanent Art Collection: "Raven: Bringer of Light"
  (acquired for the Collection by the Friends of the Gallery, 2000)
• Arctic Winter Games 2000: "Denali" (representing Team Alaska), 2000
  
• City of Dawson: Five Ivory Broaches, 2000

Publishing Credits

• Barbara Chamberlin: "Buckshot Betty" CD cover image (see draft version), Whitehorse, Yukon, release date TBA
  
• Antlers: A Guide to Collecting, Scoring, Mounting, and Carving, by Dennis Walrod ("Celtic Confusion" pic and artist bio, page 158), 2005
  
• A Celebration of Swans: Poster and Events Pamphlet, Environment Yukon, Wildlife Viewing Program, Yukon, Canada: "Swans" was chosen as the winner of the 2005 Celebration of Swans Poster Competition, 2005
  
• Illuseum Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: "Yukon Seasons" used as central image on poster and invitation for show, "Hunters and Collectors", 2004
  
• Ice-Floe: International Poetry of the Far North, Cover art for Summer 2002 ("Duality") and Winter 2002 ("Candle Ice") Issues, 2002
  
• Up From the Permafrost - 2002 Calendar, Yukon Learn: "Literacy" used as pic for December, 2002
• Up From the Permafrost - Coffee Table Book, Yukon Learn: 'Literacy', a sculpture representing literacy issues, included in the millennium project, coffee-table book, 2000
  
• On Yukon Time: 'Faro Fannin' image, "Campbell Region" section, 2002
  
• Sculpture Forum Magazine: "Duality", used in their advertizing brochure, 1998
  
• Work also appears in numerous Yukon Government and Tourism related publications, 1999-2004

Teaching Experience

• Soap Carving: Artists in the School Program, Yukon Arts Center Gallery and Department of Education, Yukon Government, 2004-2005
  
• Introduction to Antler Carving: Red Deer College - Series: Summer School of the Visual Arts, Red Deer, Alberta, see catalogue), 2004
  
• Introduction to Antler Carving: Yukon College: Alice Frost Campus, Old Crow, Yukon, 2003

Arts Organizations

• Yukon Artists @ Work Cooperative, Member, 2004
  
• Anvil Range Arts Society, Founding Member, 2001-2003
  
• Yukon Advanced Artist Awards Jury, Visual Arts Jury Member, 1998 & 2000
  
• Yukon Recreation Advisory Committee, Arts Subcommittee, Chairperson, 1998-2000
  

References

http://www.shanewilson.com/bio.html
http://www.shanewilson.com/cwg-main.html http://shanewilson.com/yukonseasons-heist.html
http://www.whitehorsestar.com/auth.php?r=48530

Official Websites

http://www.shanewilson.com
http://www.skullpture.ca List of Yukoners