Leanne Helin
Christina and I have felt a special sense of kinship with Leanne from the very first time we met. She has created wonderful personal art pieces for each of us to wear. The Raven logo was specially made to honour my work and accompany me in the creative process sits above my studio desk and travels with me on every tour, taking up temporary residence on pianos wherever I go. In early December 2005, we were privileged to be among a very few close friends and family who were invited to be present at a cleansing and blessing ceremony for her new studio and gallery in the hills of Nanoose here on Vancouver Island.
—RK
Leanne Helin was born in 1964 in the North Coast City of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada. Her ancestry is rich and unique as she comes from a long line of distinguished natives. She is the daughter of Carole and Arthur Helin. Arthur (d. 2001) was Hyíemass of the Gitgeese tribal nation and her mother, Carole, is of Norwegian ancestry. Grandfather Henry W. Helin was Chief of the Gitlan tribe and Grandmother Maud M. Helin was Chieftainess of the Gitgeese tribe. Leanne is a First Nations native of the Tsimshian Tribe of Lax Kwíalaams, North Coast BC, Canada.
In 1988, Leanne apprenticed with her brother Bill Helin, world-renowned Native Tsimshian artist, learning engraving techniques in Tsimshian Native designs. In 1989, she attended the highly acclaimed Gemological Institute of America.
Since 1991 Leanne has worked independently designing, finishing and promoting her own line of jewelry out of her home studio on Vancouver Island, BC. She creates original jewelry depicting the legends and crest of her Tsimshian Native heritage. Designs are hand-carved in gold and sterling silver with great depth and detail to provide generations of wear and enjoyment. Works in copper and a small line of cast reproductions are also available.
Leanne has become one of the foremost native women jewellery artists of the Northwest coast.