My art is a reflection of where I come from and who I am. As a Chinookan carver and digital artist, I carry the stories, teachings, and spirit of my ancestors into every piece I create. I am an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, born and raised in Oregon, deeply rooted in this land and the traditions that shaped it.

My hands learned their way through the cedar from those who came before me, and my heart stays close to the old ways, even as I explore new forms of expression. For me, art is not just about creating something beautiful-it's about connection. It's how we speak across generations, how we honor the ones who came before us, and how we carry our culture into the future. I carve to remember. I design to preserve. I create so that our stories, our spirits, and our songs are not forgotten.

In a world that changes fast, I believe in grounding my work in identity. Whether I'm carving in the traditional Columbia River style or creating modern digital designs under BeartracksNDN, my goal is to keep our voices visible. I believe artists have a responsibility: to uplift community, to protect culture, and to speak truth. My work stands as both resistance and remembrance. It honors the power of place, the wisdom in the old ones, and the responsibility we carry forward. Art is ceremony. It is teaching. It is survival. And for me, it is home.

Bobby Mercier Chinookan Carver / Digital Artist BeartracksNDN
Bobby Mercier is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in Oregon, where he has lived most of his life. With deep family roots in the community-both his mother and father are members of the tribe-Bobby has dedicated his life to preserving and revitalizing Chinookan culture and traditional art.

At 19, Bobby began working for his tribe and continues to serve as the Cultural Advisor at the Chachalu Tribal Museum and Cultural Center. Over the years, he has studied and practiced a wide range of traditional skills, including weaving, carving, and other cultural teachings. For more than 20 years, he has focused on mastering the traditional Chinookan art form, especially carving in the Columbia River style.

Bobby's carvings are featured at the Grand Ronde museum and throughout the tribal community. Two notable public pieces include works on display at the Portland Building (next to Portland City Hall) and the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. A dedicated mentor and teacher, Bobby shares his knowledge with youth, fellow community members, and his own children, helping to ensure the future of Chinookan carving lives on.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bobby expanded his artistic expression into digital design. He launched an Etsy store, BeartracksNDN, where he creates and sells custom clothing, gifts, and memorial pieces featuring his original designs. His art has reached people across the globe and continues to be used in giveaways, family commissions, and tribal events. Bobby has collaborated with others to bring his traditional designs into new mediums-such as wood engraving, drum-making, jewelry, and rattles-fusing ancestral knowledge with contemporary tools.

While he prefers not to sell his original carvings, he is excited to share his work more broadly through wood-engraved art, allowing more people to access and connect with traditional Chinookan designs without the spiritual attachment his original pieces carry. As one of fewer than ten active carvers who deeply understand and practice traditional Chinookan carving, Bobby remains committed to cultural preservation, mentorship, and creative innovation within his community and beyond.

Bigriverart.org
https://beartracksndn.etsy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/beartracksndn
https://www.tiktok.com/@beartracksndn

Aug 7 Bobby Mercier

Aug 7 Susana Moncada

Aug 7 Stanislav Riha