Cori Savard 'Yahl Aadas'

Cori Yahl 'Aadas is a Haida artist creating artwork on the ancestral homelands of the Haida Nation. Rooted deeply in culture, history, and place, her work reflects a dialogue between tradition and contemporary expression.

Cori was born to the Yahgu’laanaas Raven clan on Haida Gwaii. Although she grew up away from the islands, her connection to her culture remained strong thanks to her mother’s efforts. Frequent visits to the Haida works on display at the Canadian Museum of History helped foster a lasting relationship with her culture and its visual language.

In 2002, she returned home to Haida Gwaii and immersed herself in the art of her ancestors—exploring cedar weaving, painting, and foundational Formline design principles through workshops taught in Old Massett and Skidegate.

She is a recipient of both the YVR Youth Scholarship Award and the YVR Frank O'Neill Visionary Award, which supported the beginning and continuation of a formal apprenticeship with renowned Haida artist Reg Davidson in Old Massett. Over eight years, she developed carving techniques for masks, sculptures, and monumental works, allowing her to contribute to several totem pole projects.

Between 2012 and 2020, Cori worked closely with the late Ben Davidson in his studio and gallery in Skidegate, expanding her practice in painting and carving, and learning jewelry techniques such as chasing and repoussé. Ben’s mentorship also encouraged her to explore new processes and mediums—including vector-based design, casting, and printing—helping to shape a multidisciplinary approach that continues to inform her work today.

Cori is a member of the Rainbow Creek Dancers and Hltaaxuulang Guud Ad K’aajuu dance groups. Her involvement in ceremony and cultural practice continues to inform and inspire her work.

Cori’s work is grounded in her relationship to Haida Gwaii and the oceans that surround her. Inspired by Haida ways of being, the strength of community, and the rhythms of the natural world, she brings clarity and balance to each piece through precision, clean lines, and thoughtful execution. Her creative practice is deeply shaped by cultural ceremonies shared with her children, which continue to guide and inform her work. Through this connection, Cori carries forward ancestral knowledge while carving space for innovation within her evolving artistic practice.