David Stephens

David was born in England, and grew up close to Washington, D.C. He studied biology at the College of William and Mary, then moved west. David worked for many years as a Park Naturalist at Olympic and Acadia National Parks, and first traveled on National Geographic Sea Lion as a Glacier Bay Park Naturalist.

Since joining Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, David has traveled to the far reaches of the planet. David's first interest is birds, but he most enjoys sharing interconnections in nature with fellow travelers.

Though of European ancestry, David has long been interested in Native art and culture. His intensive involvement with Northwest Coast art and culture began in 1983, when he studied with seminal masters, Bill Holm and Duane Pasco. He became a professional carver soon after. Since then, hundreds of his pieces, from totem poles to tiny rattles, have shown in galleries in Seattle, Portland, Juneau, and New York.

David has been called a master carver by the world’s leading expert in this art tradition. In addition to carving wood, David has worked in much more unusual media, such as sheep horn and Chilkat weaving. Beginning in 1985, David learned traditional Kwakwaka’wakw dance through an apprenticeship with ‘Nakwaxda’xw chief Henry Seaweed. While continuing to produce artwork for galleries and commissions, he has lately been chief carver under Bill Holm, carving houseposts, and painting housefront and interior screens for Holm’s bighouse in the San Juan Islands.