Daadens Yaghu ’jaanaas Raven Clan, Haida Nation

April White received her Bachelor of Science degree in geology from the University of British Columbia. She has worked as a geologist in many remote areas of the North American West, an experience which has been invaluable in developing the visual faculty fundamental to creating her works of art.

The essential spirit she captures, reflects a life defined by proximity to the salt water of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Gaining an internal perspective while working on the water and fully experiencing the dynamic power of this life force, strengthened an enduring personal connection.

April feels it is the discipline of science that has given her the awareness to put the pieces of the puzzle together, to analyze, to put herself into the minds of her ancestors: to see the tools they had to work with and imagine the constraints they would have been under when creating their works of art.

She sees the role of combining art with science in her works as fostering interdisciplinary and intercultural understanding.

April has succeeded in translating her creativity in many different ways; Watercolour on paper and on canvas, Acrylic on canvas and paper, Serigraphy (hand-cut film positives, hand-painted on mylar, and vectors translated for making multiple films), Multi Media Serigraphs which she hand pulls and hand colours with water colour. April has a fully equipped screen printing studio where she hand-pulls all her own serigraphs. She has painted poles at the direction of noted Haida carvers, James Hart and Christian White on many pole projects.

She has designed and sewn Button Blankets and vests and designed a Blanket for Pendleton Woolen Mills. April is currently working on projects involving traditional Western Red Cedar carving masks for performance, textile design, and hand made paper from cedar bark upon which she prints her images.

Entirely self-taught, April’s natural inclination stems from her Haida heritage where being an artist is an honoured, traditional profession.

The freedom to explore the limitless possibilities of imagination and creativity is a legacy of this tradition. Through her father, April is a direct descendant of Saangga.ahl ‘laanaas-Sdast’a.aas Eagle Chief and Haida artist Charles Edenshaw and Daadens Yahgu ’jaanaas Raven Haida weaver Isabella Edenshaw.