HOUSTON James Archibald
Born 12 June 1921 in St. Catherines Ontario he was raised in Toronto.
He attended the Ontario College of Art from 1938 to 1940. He spent World War 2 with the Toronto Scottish Regiment, then studied at Académié de la Grande Chaumière in Paris France during 1947 to 1948. From 1948 to 1962 he lived in the Arctic serving as a civil administrator in West Baffin. During this time he introduced Inuit sculpture to southern Canadian collectors, taught the Innuit the techniques of print making. He studied printmaking in Japan 1958 to 1959. It was largely through his efforts that Inuit became recognized as a significant art form. From 1962 to 1972, he worked for Steunen Glass of New York.
After his time in the arctic he began writing and illustrating novels. The first was a youth novel Tikta’Liktak, published in 1965. His first adult novel was The White Dawn published in 1971. The youth novels are either based on indigenous legends or coming of age in the arctic. He was awarded the Canadian Library Association’s Book of the Year For Children in 1966 for Tikta’Liktak, in 1968 for White Archer and 1980 for River Runners. His adult novels involve early contact between Europeans and indigenous peoples. They are often based on actual events. In 1990 he received the Canadian Authors Association Literary Award for Fiction for Running West. He was writer and producer of the film The White Dawn made from his novel. Running West was awarded the Canadian Authors Association’s Novel Of The Year Award.
In 1976 his 70 foot sculpture called “Aurora Borealis” was installed at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary.
In later life he divided his time between Connecticut and the Queen Charlotte Islands now called Haida Gwaii in British Columbia.
He died 17 April 2005 in New London Connecticut U.S.A.
WORK
WRITER & ILLUSTRATOR:
BOOK TEXT & GRAPHIC:
Content novel & Cover dust jacket:
Eagle Song. McClelland & Stewart, 1983.
Ghost Fox. McClelland & Stewart, 1977.
Running West. McClelland & Stewart, 1989
Spirit Wrestler. McClelland & Stewart, 1980.
The White Dawn. Longmans Canada Ltd. 1971.
Content novel youth & Cover dust jacket:
Akavak. McClelland & Stewart,1968.
Black Diamonds. McClelland & Stewart, 1982. Sequel to Frozen Fire.
Eagle Mask. Longmans Canada Ltd. 1966.
Frozen Fire. McClelland & Stewart, 1977.
Ghost Paddle: A Northwest Coast Indian Tale. Longmans Canada Ltd. 1972.
Long Claws: An Arctic Adventure. McClelland & Stewart, 1981.
River Runners. McClelland & Stewart, 1979.
The Falcon Bow. McClelland & Stewart, 1986.
Tikta’Liktak. Harcourt Brace & World Inc. 1965.
Content memoir:
Confessions Of An Igloo Dweller. McClelland & Stewart, 1995.
EDITOR & ILLUSTRATOR:
Eskimo Prints. Longmans Canada Ltd. 1971.
Songs Of The Dream People: Chants & Images From The Indians And Eskimos of North America. Longmans Canada Ltd. 1972.
SOURCE:
Book:
Confessions Of An Igloo Dweller. McClelland & Stewart, 1995.
Article book:
The Canadian Encyclopedia, FOR – PAT. Hurtig Publishers Ltd. 1985. “Houston James Archibald.”
Article Internet:
“James Archibald Houston” Writ., Jon C. Stott. The Canadian Encyclopedia, 7 Apr. 2001. 16 Dec.
2013. Accessed, 27 Jan. 2020.
“James Archibald Houston” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 22 Sept. 2019. Accessed, 27 Jan 2020.
GALLERY:
Tikta’Liktak. 1965, Front cover.
Eagle Mask, 1966, Front cover.
Frozen Fire, 1977, Front cover.
River Runners, 1979, Front Cover.
Long Claws, 1981, Front cover.