This contemporary Coast Salish design depicts the moon, with an expression intended to evoke a sense of subtle, simple serenity. It is titled crescent moon because, as a contemporary Coast Salish artist, I have often wondered wHERE the Coast Salish design element of crescents came from. Since I have the teleological perspective that the conCENTric circles and ovals of Coast Salish deSIGN were inspired by the rains ripples formed in calm water, as well as dendrochronological tree rings, I could only look to nature for answers. Going by the traditional Coast Salish belief that nature is our teacher, I concluded that the cresCENTs of Coast Salish art were inspired by the cresCENT moon. I also had to ask wHERE cresCENTs came from from an etymological perspective. I concluded that the words conCENTric, ecCENTric, and cresCENT all share common root words having to do with the word “center” (one CENT is round.). So I have concluded that cresCENTs are formed by two converging eccenTRICKSTER circles.
--lessLIE
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