Contemporary Coast Salish Art

By carving, weaving, and painting their stories into ceremonial and utilitarian objects, Coast Salish artists render tangible the words and ideas that have been the architecture of this remarkable Pacific Northwest Coast culture. The Coast Salish tribes have developed a culture that was and still is shared orally, steeped in the ritual and beauty of storytelling and mythology. Infused with centuries of sacred teaching, these accounts hold the secrets to the spiritual, political, social, and economic well-being of tribal life. As a testament to their cultural resilience, increasing numbers of contemporary Coast Salish artists have embraced the new materials that "progress" has bestowed--glass, concrete, and steel – juxtaposing ancient images with modern materials.

Contemporary Coast Salish Art presents the work of twenty artists, whose work ranges from traditional forms such as basketry and weaving to modern glass sculpture. The artists featured here – including Bruce Miller, Marvin Oliver, Shaun Peterson, and Susan Point, the progenitors of this movement--perpetuate and expand their ancestors' traditions through their lifelong commitment to visually interpret and rejoice in all the manifestations of their culture.