Author Biography

Himikalas/Pamela Baker is of Dzawada'enuxw/Kwaguilth/Tlingit/Haida ancestry on her mothers side and from Squamish ancestry on her father's side. Many years ago, she began a lifelong search to provide First Nations people a stage to showcase their culture and mentor indigenous youth.

As a single mother Himikalas moved with her two sons age 4 and 10 to Los Angeles , California to study at Otis College of Art and Design where she obtained her degree in Fashion Design. Her Newly acquired dehree provided her with the technical skills and business acumen to focus on designing a future honoring her ancestors. Baker started creating her own unique fashion and jewelry with her First Nation West Coast design. Presently enrolled in the FIND program at the Wilson School of Design at KPU. Where she has updated her skills in Photoshop and Illustrator as well as certified to operate a laser cutter

Baker has been showcasing her one-of-a-kind pieces since 1988, as well as coordinating fashion shows and models since then. Himikalas was also selected as one of top 3 designers in Canada to design for the 2010 Olympics Fashion show and designed regalia for our Squamish representatives for the opening ceremonies. Pam has also owned T.O.C.N.T.I fashion school, and Copperknot jewelry and Touch of Culture since 1988 and is now collaborating with Roz Stanton in designing Metal Art

  

Roz Stanton became interested in metal art in 2006 while trying to find a way to display her fused glass art. She started by designing, cutting, burnishing and bending aluminum into ornate stands that will hold a variety of glass art.

Having accomplished this she was encouraged to adventure into cutting steel.

This became a passion, trying to find ways of manipulating the metal without having to weld it. She now continues to design a line of rusted, torched and burnished metal figures with a special interest in Native Art. Pam Baker is the artist, Roz is the creator.

With so much aluminum scrap from her cuttings it was only logical that she come up with a way to repurpose it. With the help of a small forge and some simple tools she was able to melt and sculpt the scrap into organic pieces that can stand alone or be incorporated with her other art.

Now in her studio in Birken B.C. she spends endless hours cutting, grinding, fusing, and experimenting.