COASTAL CREATIONS

A guide to Northwest Coast artwork available from dealers around the country.

Pacific Northwest Coast art—a term that applies to the style of artwork created by members of the Haida, Heiltsuk, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Nuxalk and Nuu-chah-nulth tribes, as well as other First Nations and Native American tribes from the Northwest Coast—is reflective of over 10,000 years of trade between the Native peoples of this region. Known for its great natural resources, this economy has enabled Northwest Coast tribes to develop societies distinctive for their social ranking, intricate ceremonial life and striking artwork, according to the National Museum of the American Indian. Rooted in traditional Northwest Coast beliefs, artwork from this genre typically relates to natural beings, supernatural beings or deities, and it also commonly reflects one of the four realms of sky, sea, earth and the Other World. This can be seen in cultural objects such as masks, rattles, totem poles, bentwood boxes, hats, blankets, bowls, paddles and canoes. Traditionally, shapes and color schemes used in this category of artwork adhere to the guidelines that have been universally adopted throughout the Northwest Coast, but the genre has seen a shift toward a contemporary focus as younger artists carry on and adapt the Northwest Coast art style of their ancestors. This guide offers a look at some of the freshest Northwest Coast artwork on market today.