IN THE SPIRIT
In the Spirit showcases the work of contemporary Native American artists, many living and working in the Pacific Northwest. Among the artists included in the 2007 exhibition were Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, Pat Courtney Gold, Chloe French, Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, Jennifer Johns, Susan Pavel,and Lillian Pitt. Works from these prominent local artists range from large-scale carvings and beautiful serigraphs, to intricate fiber arts and unique sculptures. In the Spirit is a celebration of how today's Native American art blends time-honored traditions with modern sensibilities.
The jury who selected the artwork to be part of the exhibition included Lynette Miller, head of collections at the Washington State Historical Society; Barbara Brotherton, curator of Native American Art at the Seattle Art Museum; and Lara Evans, professor of art history at The Evergreen State College specializing in contemporary Native American art.
"In Flight" by Lillian Pitt, image courtesy of the Washington State Historical Society
One of the indigenous people of the Columbia River Gorge, Lillian Pitt is known as a great innovator within her tradition. She has chosen to work in clay using Asian techniques like raku and anagama, to work in bronze or precious metals, to incorporate wood, copper, glass, shell, leather, feathers, and a wide variety of materials, and to mix media and technologies from around the globe.
With the turn of the millenium, Lillian's art took on an even larger dimension, as she and a team of Native American artists were commissioned by the city of Portland, OR, the Oregon Convention Center, Portland State University, and a variety of other municipalities and cultural institutions to create public art that reflects this heritage.
A pervasive theme in Lillian Pitt's offerings in all media are symbols from ancient sacred petroglyphs found along the Columbia River Gorge--drawings that were chipped or ground into rock to depict tribal legends, hunting scenes and mysticism. In 1957, rising waters behind The Dalles Dam submerged hundreds of petroglyphs. A few were pried away and stored at the dam, perched against a wall of the fish ladder beneath roosting birds.
Lillian Pitt enjoys creating pieces that represent characters from stories she grew up with, like Spilyay (Coyote) in her sculptural work.
"People's Shirt" by George Hill, image courtesy of the Washington State Historical Society
George Hill is a Tribal member of the Spokane Indian Nation and has lived most of his life on the Spokane Reservation. He served four years in the United States Navy and is a Vietnam Veteran. He attended the Institute of American Indian Arts for two years, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He graduated in 1981 with an AFA in 3-D Art Design, and a minor in Museology.
Hill has also participated in various Invitationals including: White Cloud Gallery Invitational Show, Santa Fe, N.M.; 21st Century Gallery Invitational Show, Santa Fe, N.M.; Los Llanos Gallery Invitational Show, Santa Fe, N.M. and the Gallery Mach Invitational Show, Seattle, WA.
2007 poster
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2006 poster
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