Al Charles Jr.

Al Charles Jr. - Tribal Name - 'Wenanua' meaning 'likes to war'
Al Charles Jr. was born on May 6, 1972. He comes from a long line of carvers, most notably, his grandfather, Foster Charles. Al started carving at 14, carving plaques, bowls, and paddles. Al has participated in the Paddle Journey since the late 1980's. In 1993, at the age of 20, Al carved a 36' canoe named 'Elwha Warrior'. More recently, he was a force on the carving of the ocean going canoe, 'Spirit of Elwha', which was the canoe used in the Paddle Journey in 2002-2003. Al has worked with many different tribes on various projects, including carving a totem pole at the age of 22. In 2001 Al started working with silver and more recently gold. The jewelry designed and carved by Al captures the true spirit of Northwest Coast Art. Al Charles Jr. has apprenticed with many renowned artists such as, Dale James, Ritchie Baker, Dwayne Pasco, and Richard Mike.