Troy Bellerose was born in Picture Butte, Alberta located near Lethbridge on April 7th, 1970. He belongs to the Cree nation, which traditionally inhabits the central region of the country, also known as the plains.
Although Troy is not of the west coast heritage he became very fascinated with the art form after befriending a few First Nation's west coast artists. One of them was Andrew Morrison, a member of the Nisga'a nation. Andrew taught Troy the basics of carving the West Coast style; mainly the form, shapes and balance to achieve an overall design. In a very short period of time, Troy has developed into a versatile artist using red and yellow cedar as his medium.
Recently, Troy has taken up the art of mask carving under the guidance of Art Bolton, an artist belonging to the Haisla nation. He embodies the talent and dedication of an artist beyond his years and he continues to expand his knowledge and skill.
