The Pacific Northwest Coast...

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The Pacific Northwest Coast...
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The Region
The Northwest Coast is characterized by dense
forests, heavy rainfall, and bountiful food
resources. Tribes in this environment maintained
maritime economies while also fully utilizing the
mountainous forest regions as well.
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The Environment
Raw materials are available everywhere.
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The Lifestyle
Transformation appears in the land, the people
and the beliefs.
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The People
Culture and tradition are passed down the
generations by means of dance, drama, song, and
ceremony as they have always been.
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The Houses
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The Old Villages
The old villages disappeared rapidly after
Contact. Disease, missionaries, government
policies, and encroachment all factored into the
culture deprivations of the 18th and 19th
centuries. The majority of art that survives from
this time period was stolen from the villages
after government officials forced people out.
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Potlatch Celebrations
Potlatches are social and political events where
rights, ownership and status are conferred. A
critical aspect of social standing and the
re-distribution of wealth within a
community. Hosts gifted all attendants to ensure
that the transfer of important information was
witnessed.
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Potlatches today

• Potlatch traditions continue today.
• Some details have changed over time, the arrival
  of  Europeans brought many influences. 
• There was a time when US and Canadian governments
  and religious leaders wanted Native peoples to
  give up traditional ways. 
• Starting in the 1880s, when Potlatches and
  related activities were prohibited by law.
• The prohibition was finally lifted in the 1950s,
  and ceremonies no were no longer secretly.

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Artistic Traditions
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Looking at Northwest Art
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Formline Drawings
Northwest designs are a visual language the
more you understand the language, the greater
your comprehension of the visuals.
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Elements of Northwest Design
Very traditional designs have just enough
information for the knowledgeable viewer to
recognize the form being depicted.
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Ovoids

• All the shapes that comprise formline design,
  come from nature.
• The ovoid shape is similar to the markings found
  on a stingrays wing.
• These are the building blocks of northwest coast
  style learn to see the shapes and you can learn
  to identify compositions.

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S-Forms
Sometimes the best way to look at northwest art
design, is to just react to your initial
thoughts. Often, the designs are easily
recognizable if you dont get caught in the
details. Always start with identifying the
shapes, then put the pieces together and look at
the overall design.
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U-Forms
One of the most versatile shapes in Northwest
compositions because they represent so many
fundamental aspects of design. What are some of
the these designs illustrating?
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T-Forms
Generally combined with other formline shapes to
make body parts. Identify each of these
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Northwest Composition
During the historic period, designs became more
elaborated because there were more people
desiring the art than knew the visual language.
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Simplifying Designs
Todays designs are so elaborated that there is
seldom a question in identifying a figure.
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Traditional to Modern Designs
1.
2.
Modern designs tend to show motion and fluidity.
3.
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Tools
Tools were so important and valued that they
became artforms in themselves. One of the first
things a young carver learned to do, was make
their own tools.
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Woodcarving
Everything carved of wood was also decorated,
even house walls, doorways, and storage
containers. Such an abundance of wood sources
produced an amazing variety of household goods
and materials all made from wood.
The two main types of wood were yellow cedar and
red cedar.
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Canoes
Carved from a single tree, the art of canoe
carving was nearly lost until a resurgence in the
last decade. Large enough for sea travel, they
were used for hunting and transport.
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Bentwood Boxes
Created from a plank of wood, bentwood boxes are
constructed in many sizes to house goods, store
food, and safekeep treasures until time for
public display.
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Feast Bowls
Designed to hold food, especially rare condiments
like seal oil, for consumption and display. Used
for public display at ceremonials, and for daily
use in the house. Many of the designs represent
clan associations.
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Totem Poles

• Also known as story poles, these tell the
  histories of families, great events and deeds,
  and even politics.
• There are different types of poles
• Mortuary
• Crest
• House
• Event
• Insult

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Carving a Totem Pole
The log
Stripping the bark
Laying out the design
Working on the figures
Roughing out the details
Finishing the front
Working on the sides
Working on the back
Portland Community College Pole by Richard Hunt
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Rattles
Rattles were used in curing and healing, as well
as ceremonial gatherings. Typically owned and
used by medicine people, they represent a
powerful interlocution between the physical world
and the transformative world. Many of the figures
carved into rattles represent the symbolic
transference of power present in transformation.
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Paddles
An important aspect of maritime culture, also
representing status and prestige small paddles
were carved to be carried in dance performance as
a recognition of success in fishing.
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Masks
Masks are carved for a multitude of reasons, for
dance performance, speaking in council, for clan
and family representation, religious and
ceremonial significance, even as portraiture.
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Masks
Some mask designs are intended for discretionary
use, others for public exhibition. As in other
aspects of Northwest culture, many masks are
owned by families or clans and cannot be
reproduced by others without penalty.
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Portrait Masks
Portrait mask of a woman with labret -
indicating high status.
Often portrait masks were carved to represent a
loved one who had passed away. After Contact,
portrait masks were increasingly created to meet
the demands of the art market especially masks
which represented Europeans.
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Transformation Masks
These are articulated which means they have
moving parts.
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Dance Masks
Dance masks are used in performance as
storytelling devices in acting out clan
histories. The beaks make a clacking sound when
closing and require a great deal of strength to
dance and operate.
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Sun Masks
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Frontlets
A type of headdress rather than a mask, setting
on the forehead. Worn by men of very high status
to show their role as leaders in the community.
Elaborately decorated with inlaid abalone shell
and sea-lion whiskers.
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Argillite Carvings
Argillite is a soft stone, much like a shale. It
has always been used by the Haida for carving
elaborate representations. In the 19th century it
was used to carve pipes and dishes for the trade
market.
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Coppers
It shows immense status and wealth to possess a
copper. They represent the clan histories,
associations and affiliations of the Northwest
tribes. It would be a great honor to have one
displayed during a visit, and to have one
distributed during potlatch.
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Button Blankets
Button blankets developed after Contact with the
use of shell and metal buttons and woolen trade
blankets. They often represent clan
affiliations and are danced in celebration.
To some extent they replaced woven dance
blankets.
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Chilkat Weavings
Chilkat weavings are traditionally made from
cedar tree bark, mountain goat wool, and /or dog
hair. Designs are completely symmetrical and
one-half of the pattern would be laid out on a
painted piece of wood by a male member of the
family. The design would then be transferred into
the weaving by a female weaver. Family designs
and clan associations are the typical
compositions.
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Cedar Clothing
Cedar clothing is made using both the soft bark
and strips of hard bark. Capes, hats, shawls,
blankets, tunics, and assorted other items can
all be made from cedar.
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Northwest Baskets
Basketry is an accomplished artform, made from
many different materials. Hats, gathering
baskets, display forms and utilitarian items are
all made from baskets.
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Transitions over time
Carved wooden beaver mask, miniaturized and made
into a bronze door handle.
Wooden carved moon mask. Same mask poured into
bronze.
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Contemporary transformations
Modern Northwest art reflects all the design
motifs, cultural implications of meaning, and
formulas of tradition.
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Contemporary Carvings
Carvings continue to be a mainstay of Northwest
Coast art tradition. A resurgence of traditional
art forms has revived tribal culture in recent
years.
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Northwest Coast Artists
Artistic traditions remain strong in many
Northwest families.
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Bill Reid, Haida
A great man, artist, and cultural leader of the
Haida Nation.
Raven and the First People
Speakers staff
The Spirit of Haida Gwaai
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Susan Point, Coast Salish
Well known for popularizing the inland Northwest
style from the Coastal style.
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Preston Singletary, Tlingit
Raven
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Dorothy Grant, Haida
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Richard Hunt, Kwakiutl
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Clarissa Hudson, Tlingit
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Robert Davidson, Haida
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Leanne Helin, Tsimshian
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Israel Shortridge, Tlingit
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Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, Squaxin/Skokomish
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Ed Archie Noisecat, Shuswap/Stlitlimx
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Lisa Telford, Haida
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Charles Edenshaw, Haida