GREG’s BIO

Greg Fritz
Stone Carver

Born in 1970
Resides in Birds Hill, Manitoba

Carves at his cabin in Arnes, Manitoba, Canada

Greg is a self-taught award winning soapstone artist, who began carving in 2002. Feeling naturally connected to traditional Indigenous themes and styles, it wasn’t until 2007 that he discovered his Cree ancestry after being contacted by his long-lost half-sister Onowa. Shortly afterwards, Greg met his birth mother Janice who shared a diary kept by his great-great grandfather, a Scottish fur trader living in Churchill who met and married a woman he met in a Cree village. Suddenly, Greg’s inspiration became apparent and discovering his Cree heritage has helped to inspire and solidify his love of carving soapstone.

Greg creates his sculptures at his vacation home just North of Gimli, Manitoba. In the winter he’ll carve inside by his front window where the warm morning sun shines in. He finds inspiration from the swaying trees in the wind, the chirping squirrels, and the birds singing. Greg carves outdoors in the wind, rain, sun and sometimes snow. He sometimes shelters from the rain under a huge pine tree. In cold weather, a cozy bonfire keeps him warm and inspired. He carves using only hand tools. Continuing the traditional ways of carving stone is very important to Greg.

The raw soapstone he prefers are all “off cuts” where every piece of stone is already an odd or unique shape. The form, colour, and veins of the stone “speaks” to Greg and guides him in determining his vision for each sculpture.

Greg is a member of The Canadian Federation of Artists and The Manitoba Society of Artists.

Questions, request a viewing, or inquiries to purchase? Contact Greg Fritz By Email: info@soapstone.ca