On the third day of the class about Patterns in Art, we took a look at Native/Indigenous Art of the Pacific Northwest coast. Basically a “Primitive” type of art, the Native people have revised and developed it to become quite contemporary. Based on the imagination, a deep communication with nature and mythical legends, their design elements are unique and speak of a deep Spirituality and Strength. Today silk screened prints in signed, limited editions, have become a very popular and recognizable two-dimensional art form.
The colors most used in Native Art are Red and Black, and the basic design element is the “form line” which is a strong contoured line that changes constantly in thickness and direction, defining the structure of the image - bird, animal, fish or mythical creature. The most characteristic shape used is the rounded rectangle or “ovid” which can vary greatly in size and contain other shapes within it.
The subject of Native Art of the Pacific West Coast and its influence on many artists and art forms is Huge - far too big a subject to cover in one Blog.
When I created the “Stained Glass Horse”, see below, I incorporated the use of rounded rectangles of different sizes, fitted together like the pieces of a puzzle to make an inner design within the figure of the horse. These undulating shapes are repeated along the borders of the composition, tying it together as a whole. The influence of Native Art - shapes within a shape - as well as that of Stained Glass windows, can be seen in this image.
Below is a photo of the “Stained Glass Horse’, part of my Icon Series of Horses. The original is 12” x 12”, done with Colored Markers on paper and is currently on sale for half price until July 1st, 2023. See the Home Page of this site.
