Mating Loons

Northwest Coast serigraphs are a contemporary art form, deriving from early 20th century drawings of traditional crest and decorative designs, commissioned by anthropologists and undertaken by artists such as Charles Edenshaw. Residential schools reinforced the medium, while discouraging the use of traditional themes. An important series of traditional designs in coloured pencil and watercolour were done by Mungo Martin for UBC in 1949-50. The 1960's saw the rapid growth of prints, first in unlimited poster editions, and later with the establishment of the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art at 'Ksan (1967), and of the Northwest Coast Indian Artists Guild (1977), limited edition art runs became the standard. Northwest Coast silkscreen prints are part of the mainstream art market, as well as, functioning within the native context as potlatch gifts, and commemorative prints. Although, there are distinctive regional styles, individual artists may work in several styles, or apply unique themes and variations to specific works.

contemporary art

Stylized, bilaterally symmetrical, profile birds in black form line, ovoids etc. with red details on the heads and the wings. Two birds join at the long curved necks while the heads face outward with long pointed beaks and triangular, slightly upturned crests, out behind the heads. Tapering oval eye is surrounded by a red near ovoid. A red split u infills the crest, and there is a red line at the centre of the closed beak. Black ovoid in ovoid at the top of the wing is followed by two segments with a red split u followed by two u forms. Leg is bent up under the bird with a two digit foot that has an ovoid at the centre and the top digits crossing at the centre. Pencil inscription across the bottom edge reads 'January 1979 "MATING LOONS" Clarence Wells 131/175'. The print is on a horizontally rectangular, light brown paper stock.