George Berkanpas was born in 1935, and is of Dutch Cree ancestry. George grew up during wartime making furniture, and shortly after his enlistment as an Army Sergeant, he submersed himself in trade studies which would find him work as an architect and engineer.

In 1959 his passion for working with wood resurfaced, and he began making guitars. These became works of art with intricate inlay of abalone and precious metals. After receiving a silver medal for his work in 1974, He challenged himself further and moved onto crafting harps, which required expert tooling on the lathe. Wood turning became an instant pleasure, allowing George to fully realize his visions through his shaping of the beautiful and natural layers of various wood grains.

This is where we find Berkanpas today, living in Abbotsford, B.C. and creating functional artwork in his many varied forms of contemporary and traditional bowls and vases.