Ben Paul is a Tlingit from Juneau, Alaska now living in Seattle WA. He is Raven clan, Teehiton (cedar bark house) of  Wrangell. Ben’s Tlingit name, goo-nuX-nusti, “to be the most”, was given to him at a naming ceremony in Seattle in 1995. It was at that time Ben began to study the artwork of his grandmother, Frances Paul, and the Southeast Alaska photography collection of his father William Paul, Jr. (photos online at William Paul, Jr., Collection).

Ben’s mediums of work include ink and pencil drawings of Tlingit hats and totems. "Many of our works of art have been lost to fire, to poverty, or have long since been collected by the great museums of the world," he said.  

Ben’s own clan crest hat is “Raven is Prince of the Town”  which his grandfather, William Paul Sr., gave to the State Museum in Juneau for safe keeping. "Our family calls this hat the Teehiton Raven hat," he said.

Ben also does limited edition form line silk screen prints. If  the drawing is a portrait piece, Ben includes a brief history and the legend behind the piece.

His favorite stone to carve is chlorite from British Columbia. Ben hand polishes and oils each piece. This takes a little longer but there is no other way to get the smoothest of finishes.  Etching is done with a variety of hand awls and gouges.