Carver claims a prize from his first U.S. art show

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Bentwood boxes were the medium displayed by carver Larry Rosso to reveal the intricacies of Northwest Coast art to an American audience at a recent show in Arizona.

Rosso, of the northern Carrier First Nation but now living in Richmond, was one of only a few Canadian exhibitors at the 46th annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market held in Phoenix on Mar. 6 and 7. All of the more than 600 artists at the festival were selected in a juried process.

Rosso's work got attention when one of the Heard Museum's selection committee members passed through the Vancouver airport and happened to see his four, 1.3-metre circular panels, each depicting an animal-the beaver, frog, eagle and whale. Later, upon the committee member viewing his work at the Douglas Reynolds Gallery on Vancouver's Granville Street, Rosso received an invitation to display his work, with the gallery sponsoring his trip.

Because of the location of the show, a prevalent theme among the pieces was the Navajo culture and the traditions of the Southwest.

Turquoise and brown dominated many tables showcasing clay and silver pieces, making Rosso's woodwork in black and red stand out.

Noted for his carvings and boxes, Rosso is as much an ambassador of the northwest region of British Columbia as he is of his own creations. The idea that bentwood boxes are created out of one piece of wood that undergoes several processes was not something initially grasped by those who passed by his booth.

"We had to go on about that several times but they were quite fascinated with the practice and they mentioned how distinctive the art was," said Rosso.

One of his bentwood chests received an honourable mention ribbon, which equated to a second place award, in the category of Cultural Items-Utilitarian. Although at first he didn't realize the significance of this achievement because he has won awards before, Rosso only fully appreciated his prize following the fair when he received the congratulations of others.

"Talking to most of the people, they said it would take a few years of participation (to acquire a prize) because there is a little bit of political status involved," Rosso said.

A full-time carver by trade, there is more to his work than just creating art for the sake of money. After three decades spent perfecting his craft, Rosso still finds inspiration when creating, and it's this drive that drew him out of his darkest period.

Since being diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer in 1998, Rosso has undergone exhausting treatment while the disease has altered his body. The disease attacked his spinal column, causing Rosso to lose five inches in height and experience significant pain. Carving, however, provides a holistic component to his healing.

"Because he had to finish a mural for a show, it made him work on it," Rosso's wife, Marie, said about the importance of his art. "Even though he had trouble standing, sitting and sleeping, this is what got him out of bed."

Now prominently shown in his home, the one-by-three-metre mural tells of the beaver being cared for by all the other animals, which was how Rosso was assisted during his recovery.

"I wanted to do a piece to show how the different people were trying to help beaver get better," said Rosso. "With a number of other things, it must be working because beaver is doing quite well."

With the experience of his first American show behind him, Rosso is pleased with the exposure he received and the sales generated. Approximately 18,000 people passed through the museum's gates over the two days, and of the 20 pieces Rosso travelled with, a dozen were sold for about $8,000 U.S.

In addition to his professional interest in taking this trip, Rosso liked the attention directed towards the Pacific Northwest.

"It was nice to see that this art was received without them knowing what this was, and the people (becoming) more educated with the art we do," he said.