Understanding Northwest Coast Art by Cheryl Shearar

Understanding Northwest Coast Art" introduces the reader to the powerful and striking artworks produced by the Native cultures of the Northwest coast, featuring: A handy, dictionary-style reference guide to the symbols, crests and beings depicted in works of art such as totem poles, masks, prints, basketry and weaving. The entries cover a wide range of topics such as argillite, button blankets, Coppers, Crooked-Beak, Dzunuk'wa (the Wild Woman of the Woods), Kumugwe (chief of the undersea world), Moon, the potlatch, Raven, Thunderbird and the Winter Ceremony Brief descriptions of design conventions, design elements and the different art styles of Northwest Coast cultural groups An explanation of the interconnection between art, myth and ceremony in the life of the culture 65 reproductions of contemporary artworks, archival photos and design elements to aid identification of subjects and themes. Cheryl Shearar is a graduate of the University of British Columbia. She has worked at the Spirit Gallery in West Vancouver and at the Whistler Inuit Gallery, and now is the owner of the Salmonberry Gallery in Toronto. Vancouver/Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre; Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2000

Size: 114p

Style: paperback