Artist Statement: Seeing Suttles Salish

In the spirit of spindle whorls, this Coast Salish design depicts four subtle (suttles;) faces in a circle. The use of Wayne Suttles' name in the title is a tribute to the ethnoGRAPHIC work of Suttles, whose essays were instrumental in an understanding of the forms and traditions of Coast Salish design. Although inspiRED by spindle whorls, the initial sketch of this design depicted a four way split u-form, a design element characteristic of Nuu-chah-nulth art forms as well as some northern Northwest Coast art traditions. The utilization of a four way split u-form within a spindle whorl symbolizes aesthetic acculturation and changes within Coast Salish culture.
Like some of the other works in "spindle wHOLE," while designing this painting I wanted the initial appearance of the work to be very modern, yet upon a closer look the perception of the subtle elements of the design make the Coast Salish roots of the design obvious. This play with modern designs that subtley show Coast Salish design represents cultural change.

The circle in the middle of the design is beyond spindle holes, and forms the iris of eyes. The eyes symbolize the redefining of Coast Salish art by contemporary Coast Salish artists.

--lessLIE

$2,400.00 CDN

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