Beyond the Art

Ryan RedCorn grew up immersed in a family of preachers, politicians, artists, and salesmen—roles he quick-wittedly notes are essentially the same job. Born into an Osage and Cherokee family where loud voices and sharp humor were the standard currency, humor became his immediate survival skill. Early lessons in public speaking came from a high school speech teacher who threw b...

Louie Gong’s story begins in Ruskin, British Columbia, in a house surrounded by cedar trees with no running water. Raised primarily by his Coast Salish grandmother and Chinese grandfather, Louie learned resourcefulness early, using sticks and his surrounding natural environment as his primary playground and tools. Living in a full, welcoming house where his grandfather cooked...