Native artists Jennifer Angaiak Wood (half Yup’ik) and Lillian Pitt (Warm Springs / Yakama) will exhibit from December 3rd through January 30th at Jeffrey Moose Gallery on Bainbridge Island. A reception will be held on First Friday, December 4th from 6 to 8 PM.
Indianola artist Jennifer Angaiak Wood, who is half Yup’ik from Alaska’s central coast, will show a blend of mixed media masks and fine art prints which reflect her heritage in ways that nod both to tradition and to a fresh perspective on a style that influenced many European artists of the early 20th century including Picasso, Miro, Magritte and others. Her 3D works blend hand carved wooden faces with found objects, feathers and natural materials.
Ms. Wood, who has a Masters in Education from U. Of Alaska, Fairbanks and a BA from the UW, has exhibited at Stonington Gallery in Seattle and shown her work in events at the prestigious Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Autry Museum in L.A. This year, she was awarded two significant fellowships, the Nia Tiero Pacific Northwest Art Fellowship, which supports development for indigenous artists internationally, and the MAC Fellowship, a regional effort which was established to “empower highly-motivated emerging and mid-career artists looking to transition from undiscovered to established, self-sustaining professionals”.
Lillian Pitt is a living Northwest Art legend whose work has been collected by the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., the cities of Portland and Seattle and collectors nationwide and internationally. She is known for her ceramic and cast glass sculpture, including masks and totemic figures, as well as for sterling silver jewelry and, over 25 plus years, a huge variety of printmaking media.
In November, 2019, she pulled some mono prints at Matrix Press in Missoula, Montana. This exhibit will feature some of those images, as well as older prints, some ceramic and cast glass. Presently, the Warm Springs Reservation where Lillian grew up is experiencing a significant Coronavirus outbreak. It has killed some of her childhood friends. Her brother is leading the tribal response. The gallery has pledged a donation to help offset the expenses and we will help to solicit additional funds during the exhibit.
The Museum at Warm Springs, P.O. Box 909 Warm Springs, OR 97216. — Attn. Sunmiet Maben, Office Mgr.
