Northwest Indian Art
The Pacific Northwest Coast was once a major home for Native Americans. At one point over seventy tribes lived in the area, from the edge of Alaska to the northern border of California. These tribes worked together, trading goods and services with each other and helping when needed. Though they were all separate, they still influenced each other, which is why much of the artwork from this region has some similarities.
Northwest Indian art incorporates a variety of different things. The weavings done by these people, especially in regards to blankets and rugs are quite popular. They also created totem poles and masks carved from pieces of native wood that are highly collectible. In addition, the baskets and hats created from weaving pieces of dried wood together are also popular.
Resources on northwest Indian art include:
- North West Coast Indians: focuses on art created by Indians living in the American northwest.
- Deschutes Gallery: gallery that showcases authentic art created by Indian tribes in the northwest.
- Pacific Northwest Coast Indian Art & Lore: discusses the beliefs of those tribes and how they incorporated those beliefs into their art.
- Northwest Indian Art Information: looks at the shapes, designs, colors and style of this art.
- Indian Art of the Northwest Coast: examines the artwork from this area and why it's so special or important.
The reason northwest Indian art is so popular is because it has a distinctive and different look. They often used bold shapes and colors in their work such as the Inuit paintings featuring bright shades of red and blue. These pieces also incorporated different figures and elements that carried over from tribe to tribe. The raven and eagle were popular figures as were the lovebirds and whale. They also used animals they encountered in their daily lives such as beavers, salmon, wolves and bears. There are many artists from this area still working in this field today and creating unique pieces.
