“I Denesini gushazi esguzua lete. My art is a reflection of how I feel.”
-Dennis Shorty
Our gallery is artist run and owned. You will have the privilege to meet Dennis and watch him create new pieces in his studio next door. You can also book carving, drum-making and drum bag sewing workshops, and experience storytelling around a campfire. Dennis's unique artwork ranges from copper and antler jewelry to soapstone sculptures, antler carvings, and acrylic paintings. T-shirts and art cards are also available, as well as CDs with music by Dena Zagi, a band featuring Dennis and his partner, Jenny. Debit, Visa, and MasterCard are accepted.
Raven Nest is a cabin offering two bedrooms, a loft with two beds and a shared kitchen and bathroom. Guests can enjoy a barbeque on the beautiful deck. Raven Nest is just a minute away from the workshop tent and art gallery!
About Dennis Shorty:
A Musician, a Master Carver, an Artist, a Craftsman, a Knowledge Keeper and Teller of traditional Kaska heritage stories that are passed down orally from generation to generation.
Born of Kaska indigenous heritage, Dennis Shorty has lived most of his life near Ross River, Yukon. By watching his grandfather and father carve traditional tools and toys, Dennis became interested in art.
For him, making art is a spiritual path and a way to communicate with his ancestors. After a difficult period in Residential Schools during the 60’s and 70’s when the Canadian government tried to assimilate Indigenous peoples and wipe out their culture, Dennis has led a strong personal mission to revive his cultural heritage.
Dennis’s mission in life, now supported by his partner, Jenny, is to bring the rich folk art, the traditional music, the Kaska language and the foods of his ancestors, to a wider audience. The couple and their business continue to be based in the community of Ross River, Yukon.
As part of rediscovering his Kaska heritage, Dennis and Jenny gather native plants and herbs from the bush and get traditional meats like moose from indigenous hunters.
