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 Andrea
Marie Wilbur is from the Coast Salish people and is
a member of the Squaxin Island tribe. She is the
great-great granddaughter of Henry Allen who was the
main informant for the Skokomish Nation. She is
also the first great granddaughter of Andrew P.
Peterson, the first granddaughter of Bert Wilbur,
Dennis Allen, and Arline Peterson Wilbur, and the
oldest daughter of renowned carvers Andrew and Ruth
Wilbur. Andrea is the first known woman carver of
many generations of carvers.
Andrea was born in Seattle WA in 1975. She grew up
on the Skokomish reservation, and over the past nine
years has lived in Shelton where she is raising her
three children.
Andrea is deeply involved in the art and culture of
her community. “I grew up surrounded by art. My
family has always been deeply involved in the art
and culture of the community,” says Andrea. Her
artistic life began at the age of three surrounded
by an artistic community including her parents and
other elders such as Louisa Pulsifer, Emily Miller,
Andrew Peterson, and Bertha Visser. She started out
with beadwork and has since learned Coast Salish art
forms such as bentwood boxes, masks, panels, button
blankets, baskets, etc. The panels Andrea carves are
reminiscent of the large cedar plank screens that
were used to separate the living spaces of the
chiefs and their families in the immense community
houses. The bentwood boxes, or kerfed boxes, are
made from a single plank of yellow or red cedar and
generally decorated with the clan crests of their
owners. Most were watertight for holding food and
liquids while others were used to store household
goods.
Andrea is passionate about her work and, as far back
as she can recall, has always wanted to be a carver
and artist. Her specialty for the past several years
is in relief carving. Traditional Coast Salish
designs have a fresh look with her use of clean
lines and modern colors mixed with those of the
past. Andrea is continually researching and applying
her knowledge to her art forms today. Her newest art
form is doll making. Andrea creates dolls wearing
traditional clothes with masks, hands and feet
carved from wood.
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