Kelli Clifton was born and raised in Prince Rupert, British Columbia and is Gitga’at from the community of Hartley Bay. Clifton is interested in using her artwork as a form of storytelling-especially in relation to her Ts’msyen language (Sm’algyax), her coastal upbringing and her experiences as an Indigenous woman. She continuously explores the use of colour and repetition within her work, creating traditionally inspired pieces with a modern twist.  Clifton currently lives in her home community of Prince Rupert where she continues to practice her art and teaches Sm’algyax at a local high school. A graduate from the University of Victoria (Bachelor of Fine Arts), Clifton later worked as an Indigenous Youth Intern for both the British Columbia Arts Council and the First Peoples’ Cultural Council. Her career as an artist continues to thrive, a few notable accomplishments being a 3-month artist residency at the Santa Fe Art Institute as well as her solo exhibition at the Museum of Northern British Columbia. Clifton also had the honour of creating a design for City Opera Vancouver’s production Missing, which honours the story of missing and murdered Indigenous women.