Carol Sheehan is a leading authority on Northwest Coast culture and art. Her experience includes the organization of major argillite gallery exhibitions of argillite, in particular the celebrated Glenbow presentation Pipes That Won’t Smoke; Coal That Won’t Burn: Haida Argillite Sculpture, generally regarded as the definitive modern presentation of the subject. Her book of the same name, written to accompany the exhibit, has had a major influence in stimulating interest in argillite sculpture.
Ms Sheehan’s other published work includes chapters on the Northwest Coast in Native American Myths and Legends and Native American Arts and Crafts; and numerous entries on First Nations Artists for The Canadian Encyclopedia.
In writing Breathing Stone, the author worked closely with collectors and galleries in the United States and Canada, and held extensive meetings and interviews with all the sculptors represented in the book, in Haida Gwaii, Victoria, Port Alberni, Courtney and Vancouver.
Throughout, the excitement and commitment of the Haida artists shines through. For them, argillite sculpture is a source of intense pride, a means of showing the world the richness of their culture. The result is a book that is authoritative, passionate, original and beautiful.