Dennis Esquivel
Dennis Esquivel (b. 1970) was born in Michigan and is an enrolled member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa. He comes from a long line of woodworkers and traditional basket-makers from the Great Lakes region. Esquivel’s furniture incorporates Native American symbols ranging from imagery inspired by gunstock war clubs, arrows, and birch bark canoes to Great Lakes floral designs. Each piece is constructed using traditional woodworking techniques and joinery such as hand carving, bent lamination, and veneer. He also enjoys bringing other mediums into the pieces such as painted surfaces, stainless steel, brass, and silver wire.