OCTOBER 20, 1978 PAGE 9
Indian Artists in Portland Show Inspired By Tradition
(Top Left)
CERAMICS AND SERIGRAPHS
Two clay figures crafted by
Glen LaFontaine (Chippewa -
Cree) and entitled
“Talking
Eyes” and “Seated Figure with
Pipe,” are displayed at the
Oregon Historical Center’s Cont
emporary Indian Arts show.
Serigraph in the background is
by Tony Hunt (Kwakinte) and
entitled “Sisiute.”
CDS Photo
i
by Cynthia Stowell
The rich artistic traditions of
coastal and interior tribes of the
northwest have been brought to
life in a small but varied exhibit
at the Oregon Historical Society
in Portland.
The exhibit eloquently tells
the cultural history of the region
in contemporary terms. If the
beauty and craftsmanship of the
works in this show are the
measure of cultural evolution,
then [the transition from tradi
tional to modern has been a
proud and graceful one.
Nineteen artists represent
ing piore than nine northwest
tribes have lent their recent
works for display. The show was
assembled by the Indian Festival
of Arts in La Grande, Oregon and
guest curator Del Me Bride
(Cowlitz-Quinault) of the State
Capitol Museum in Olympia,
Washington.
.'From baskets to abstract
oils and masks to serigraphs,
every medium is being explored
by these modem Indian artists.
At the show’s opening artists
explained that though many
work within established stylistic
conventions they are free to
express individuality in their
work.
The impressive collection of
masks perhaps best typifies the
bridge between old and new.
Distorted faces carved in cedar
and decorated with human hair
and abalone stare from the glass
cases, disembodied from the
ceremonies for which they were
once used and existing purely for
their own design beauty.
The mask motif is carried a
step further by John Hoover, an
Aleut who carved “Blue Jay
Woman.” A woman’s face in
primitive style forms the central
portion of the three-panel work,
with slender blue jays arching
over her head. The'outer panels
which swivel on hinges are blue
jays in profile.
Northwest coastal designs
once painted on wood or hide are
presented in serigraphs, a type
of silkscreen, by Kwakiutl Tony
(Top Right)
BACK TO BASKETS - Miniature
baskets by Richard Cultee (Sko
komish) are joined by the Inter
ior Salish baskets of
Lena
Dunstan (Haida-Colville). Of
particular historical interest is
Dunstan’s whaling hat shown at
the left.
CDS Photc
(Center)
Hunt, among others. About a
dozen such prints in black and
red ink depict prized animals or
totems of the coastal culture.
Baskets of natural fibers
reflect coastal and interior de
signs and retain their functional
aspect. Woven into the design of
a whaler’s hat crafted by Lena
Dunstan (Haida-Colville) is a
boat filled with fishermen in
pursuit of a whale.
Sculpture goes beyond the
traditional in the ceramic works
of Glen La Fontaine (Chipp
ewa-Cree). His rotund, blank-
Steam Pressure Canner ■ Safest Method
by the bacterium,' Uostridum
Botulinum. This bacterium can
grow inside a jar without air if
the food is not processed at a
temperature of 240 degrees fah-
renheit for certain lengths of
time and amounts of pressure
during canning.
This temperature can only
be reached under pressure in a
steam pressure canner. A water
bath canner can only reach 212
degrees fahrenheit and proces
sing meat in an oven, dishwash
er, a regular pressure cooker,
open canning kettle, or a steam
kettle without pressure will not
kill deadly bacteria.
The showing of Contemporary
Northwest Indian Arts is housed
at the Oregon Historical Center
at 1230 S.W. Park Avenue in
Portland, not far from downtown
and one. block from the Portland
Art Museum.
Spooky Clean-upi
Extension Notes
Hunting season is in full
swing and this is a great time to
use canning talents to insure a
good supply of venison, elk,
game birds and fish throughout
the year. This can also be a
dangerous time if the correct
canning method is not used for
these foods, says Warm Springs
Extension Agent, Pennie Al-
brant.
If you are slaughtering your
own animals, chill the meat im
mediately to stop spoilage and to
make the meat easier to handle.
Guard against botulism poison
ing which occurs when food is
eaten containing toxins produced
eted figures are humorous but
reverent interpretations of the
Plains Indian of the last century.
The greatest departure from
traditional Indian art form is the
abstract oil painting of Earl Biss
(Blackfoot). One dark canvas
entitled “Round Dance” is fleck
ed with colors to depict the color
and motion of the dance.
Silver and ivory jewelry,
wooden “spirit boards,” a button
blanket and other functional or
purely decorative objects are on
view for the public until No
vember 26.
POISED FOR FLIGHT - A cedar
rattle in the shape of a grebe
perches on a stand bearing a
human face in John Hoover’s
contemporary interpretation of a
ceremonial item. Hoover, an
Aleut, has several carvings in
the exhibit, including masks and
“spirit boards.”
If you see any of the follow
ing signs of spoilage in your
canned vegetables, meats, or
seafood discard the food and do
not taste it! Deadly bacteria
could be present!
4- Bulging or corroded lid on
jar
+ Food ozzing out of jar
4- Mushy or moldy food
4- Bad odor
4- Gas pressure or bubbles
For canning recipes and cor
rect processing pressures and
times, contact the Warm Springs
Extension Office at 553-1161 ext.
238. A pressure, canner is also
available for your use at the
office.
'
If some goblins decorate
your windows this Halloween,
you can make the clean-up job
easier if you begin with a razor
blade rather than water. Most of
us get out the hose and a brush as
a first reaction to the witchy art
work, but this may make the job
more difficult.
If you know the spook used
soap, hot water is the best
cleaner. Hot water and soap just glass unevenly and runs into the
make suds and the clean-up may window ledges or sills. On car
actually get some fall cleaning windows, it can actually cause
done.
the window mechanism to stick.
If you use the same treat
Though it is never a treat to
ment with wax, you have a real clean up this mess, a single
mess; and sometimes it is diffi edged razor blade, preferably
cult to tell the difference.
one in a blade holder, will peel
Hot water causes the wax to the art work from your glass.
melt and spreads a thin coating Then, wash the window with hot
down over the glass. This thin sudsy water, rinse and dry.
covering is more difficult to
HAVE A HAPPY HALLO-
removebecause, it streaks the • Wg^N! eoiJitofif aowr