Crystal Cabin Gallery

Crystal Cabin was started by April's parents, Dutes and Laura Dutheil in 1980 in a converted wood saw shed. The small shop was located on their property, on a hilltop in Tlell, Haida Gwaii, surrounded by spruce and alder trees with the Tlell River winding in the background.

Her late father was a mineral collector, lapidary artist, and goldsmith. Her mother is a multi-disciplinary artist. They started the business to sell their jewelry and art. The small shop was filled with their creations, including mineral slices and jewelry of local agate and a local rhyolite we call Serenity Stone, locally collected crystals and colourful stones from afar, hand-strung healing necklaces, and handmade dolls. In the early years they also sold their products at music festivals across British Columbia.

From a young age April's father went mineral collecting with his father (her grandfather) in Ontario’s great Canadian Shield. His keen interest in crystal and fossil specimens naturally made their way into the store. Her mother's interest in stones was for crystal healing.

Crystal Cabin's first logo was designed and painted by her mother and was of a frog riding a crystal. About 25 years later I asked my father what that logo was all about, he chuckled and said that it was supposed to be him, a French frog, as he was born in Versailles, France. As a child, growing up with a family business, April never really understood what the deal was with crystals and why her parents were always making things. However, she and her sister I kept busy by exploring Haida Gwaii and by making their our own art and jewelry. What an amazing and creative childhood.

Years later, when Dutes was diagnosed with a terminal illness, April knew it was time to return home. She had been living in Paris, France working in Corporate Communications at The Estée Lauder Companies. However, when she came home, she realized that she also had a passion for jewelry, Haida art, and crystals. She decided to keep the business going, building on the foundation that her parents created. From time to time, her sister, who is a visual artist, also comes to lend a hand.