Song for the Moon
Welcome | Salish Art and Culture | Overview of the Exhibition | About Native Teaching | Resource List | Acknowledgments
Tree People | Skokomish Basket | Song For the Moon | Bone Game
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Shaun Peterson Tulalip/Puyallup, born
1975 Song for the Moon, 2002 Acrylic on canvas Loan from the Stonington
Gallery, The
Swan story Told
by Johnny Moses Recorded
by Katie Jennings, 1997 Lady
Louse story Told
by Vi Hilbert Recorded
by Katie Jennings, 1994 Rock
and Coyote story Told
by Vi Hilbert Recorded
by Crisca Bierwert 1985 Origin
of the Moon Story |
About the Work
Song for the Moon was inspired by the
About the Artist
"Our culture is always
evolving." - Shaun Peterson
http://www.arts.wa.gov/progFA/carvers/peterson_shaun.htm)
Shaun Peterson
(Puyallup/Tulalip) was born in
Shaun is an important
emerging artist, who has created work in several Northwest Coast Native art
styles. More recently he has chosen to
focus on the perfection of traditional Salish style, but often using
non-traditional media, like glass, steel and canvas. Due to the fact that relatively little has
been written on Coast Salish art, Shaun studied historic art works from museum
collections, which provided inspiration for his early work. He has also worked extensively with other
skilled artists, including Greg Colfax (Makah) and Steve Brown, learning about
the variety of styles that define the cultural groups of the
Shaun has been asked by the
Shaun creates art to be
sold in many galleries that specialize in Northwest Coast Native American art
in the
Learning from this Work
About Coast Salish
Design
The Coast Salish display
the greatest variety of art styles of the Native groups of the
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Although the study of
Coast Salish art is relatively recent, it is interesting to note the
similarities between ancient works of art and more recent ones. For instance,
when one compares the basic design features of SAM’s prehistoric Seated Human Figure Bowl (83.223) with SAM’s 19th-century Mountain Sheep-horn Rattle (83.236), it becomes clear that a similar system
of using engraved circular, trigon and crescent shapes to define human-like
and animalistic creatures has been in use for a long time (since at least
4000 BP). It appears that this system has continued to change, develop and
become more refined over time. |
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Seated Human Figure Bowl Pre-1800 Soapstone SAM 83.223 |
Mountain Sheep Horn Rattle ca. 1860 Horn, yew, sinew, buttons SAM 83.236 |
![](Module03_SongForMoon_files/image006.gif")
From an examination of the
works of art that have been preserved within Native families and museums, one
can point to some basic principles of Salish style:
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Sculpture tends to be small-scale, with the exception of house posts (not totem poles).
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The subjects are rather naturalistic birds, fish, and unspecified quadrupedal creatures, human or humanoid beings.
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The subject is usually shown in a fully frontal position or in profile.
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A small number of abstract design elements (what we will call circles, crescents, and trigons) are imaginatively combined and repeated to indicate anatomical details of creatures and beings.
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On engraved pieces, the abstract design elements are engraved into the wood, horn or bone, and form the negative or background, while the shapes remaining on the surface form the positive design (similar to wood block engraving). |
Trigon, Crescent, and Circle |
Although Coast Salish
design appears to be governed by a very few style elements that were somewhat
standardized, the artist had free reign in how these elements were put together
and how they were arranged on the design field.
This is true for three-dimensional sculpture in wood, horn or bone; the
two-dimensional engraving of lines and cuts onto the surfaces of these
materials; for designs painted onto the surface; for basketry and wool weaving;
and for a whole array of contemporary arts.
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Common subjects of Salish
sculptures—as seen on tool handles, mat creasers, spindle whorls, rattles and
house posts—are birds, fish, unspecified quadrupedal animals, human figures, and
human-like faces. The human or creature being depicted can be further
elaborated using abstract circular, trigon and crescent shapes that are
combined and repeated to create the anatomical details of eyes, ears, mouths,
nostrils, ribs, feathers, paws, claws and joints. It is tempting for the
viewer to see these bold engraved patterns of shapes as the positive part of
the design when, in fact, they mark the negative space and help to define the
positive elements. It is easier to see
how this works with a sculpture (as opposed to a painting or drawing) because
the abstract forms are engraved into the surface thus helping to delineate
the positive shapes that remain on the surface (see Mountain Sheep-horn Rattle). It is helpful to squint your eyes
when looking at an engraved design to see how the abstract shapes become the
background (negative) and the design that remains on the surface becomes the
foreground (positive). Because Coast
Salish art was often made for religious rituals and to indicate personal
connections to the spirit world, the artist might only hint at the meaning,
leaving a mysterious effect. |
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Example of Salish Fish (salmon design) By Roger Fernandes |
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Salish
Spindle Whorl “Protected
by Eagles” By Roger
Fernandes |
Trigons
creating a positive/negative eye form |
Salish
Spindle Whorl by Roger
Fernandes |
Coast Salish designs can be
symmetrical or asymmetrical. The
creatures being depicted are shown in profile or full frontal view. Sometimes
an “x-ray” approach allows us to see inside the bodies of humans and animals.
Overlapping and shading to create a 3-D perspective are not used. This rule has
been modified more recently in the works of contemporary artists, many of whom
have been trained in traditional art schools or who, for personal aesthetic
reasons, choose to experiment with space and perspective.
Classroom Activities
Goals
Students will explore
artwork and stories that demonstrate
- Basic Salish design elements and how they are
used to create a complete art work
- How artists use stories and the natural world as
inspiration for their artwork
Suggested Pre-Tour Activity:
Read the story Origin of the Moon (see text of story)
Discussion questions after
reading might include:
§ What elements of nature does the story emphasize?
§ Why do you think the story uses these elements of nature?
§ What role does the moon (or cedar, wolf, song) play in this story?
§ What feelings did you have while reading this story? (to diversify experience)
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What do you
think the story is trying to teach?
Have the students work with some clay or beeswax to create the shapes or figures from the story and artwork. Ask the students to write about their experience.
Have students research the
work of Shaun Peterson on the web.
http://www.stoningtongallery.com/artists/peterson.htm).
Invite a Native Salish artist to your classroom to discuss their work.
Suggested Post-Tour
Activities:
Divide students into groups, giving
each group a reproduction of Song for the
Moon and information sheet on elements of Salish design. Have students
examine the artwork, read and answer the questions, and then discuss the
answers in a group.
- What are the three basic shapes used in Coast Salish design?
- What is a trigon?
- How many circles, crescents, or trigons do you
see in this artwork?
- What designs do you recognize from your museum
experience?
- How is Coast Salish design different from
Tlingit or Haida design?
§ What do you think is the most important message of the story?
Have each student write a
short paper or create an original piece of art in response to the questions
above. This project will be used for assessment.
Using the salmon design we
created at the
There are many stories
about the being called Dokwibalth, also called the Changer or the Transformer,
who often has the form of a coyote or wolf. Have your students research other
Salish stories with animals as the main character, such as The Swan, Lady Louse
and Coyote and Rock (included in this module). Discuss what roles they play.
Create a bulletin board on
Salish Design and Storytelling, using printouts or photocopies. Resources can include photos, maps, designs
from online or print sources and the students’ short captions based on their
handouts.
Vocabulary
Culture—a way of life,
customs, habits, and values of a group of people.
Symmetry—exact duplication of opposite sides of a design.
Myth—A traditional story,
usually about supernatural events or creatures.
Negative space—a design
area, background space or element between positive design shapes.
Oral traditions—the
transmission of a culture’s body of knowledge and values to succeeding
generations solely by word of mouth, relying on human memory alone.
Trigon—a curved-sided triangle.
Bibliography
Books
Brown, Steve C. Native Visions: Evolution in
Wyatt,
Websites
http://www.arts.wa.gove/progFA/carvers/peterson_shaun.htm
Profile of Puyallup/Tulalip
artist Shaun Peterson.
http://www.stongintongallery.com/artists/peterson.htm
This
http://www.humanities.org/inquiringmind/speaker_RogerFernandes.php
Profile of artist,
educator, and storyteller Roger Fernandes, highlighting and describing his
different types of public presentations.