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Clifford Pettman was born in Peace River, Alberta on April 26, 1946, the son of an English fur trader and a Cree woman. The Peace River, alive with cargo and trade ships, was the lifeline of many northern communities. On a Peace River steamboat, Clifford and his family traveled 200 miles north to Fort Vermillion. Life, north of the 58th parallel was tuned to the natural environment and the elements of survival. As a youth, Clifford accompanied his father, learning to work the trapline. The teachings of his mother closely linked him to the spirit of the land and it's wildlife resulting in a young man enriched by the two cultures sharing Canada's north. Clifford left Fort Vermillion to live in Sooke, B.C., a fishing and logging community on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Although logging provided a livelihood, he soon became disenchanted with the harsh realities of the occupation. Sooke is also the home and retreat for a thriving artistic community, a lifestyle harmonious with its coastal surroundings. Clifford began to carve and whittle fir bark driftwood. With time and practice, his hands discovered the talent of sculpting. In 1978, with encouragement from family and friends, involvement in the art community revealed new techniques and perspectives of carving; specifically the medium of stone. Wood soon yielded as Clifford discovered that his thoughts and feelings were best transposed upon stone. With tools in hand, he gives freedom to movement, emotion and soul. The detailed figures are of man and his family, and of man and animals. They reveal the relationships that encompass man and nature, influenced by a Cree heritage adapted to an urban culture. Clifford Pettman's sculptures were featured in a collection sponsored by Schenley Canada Inc., and are in collections worldwide. Clifford has been represented by Appleton Galleries since the late 1970's and has maintained a close relationship with the Appleton family since that time.
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