Tribal carvings will welcome guests to Tulalip cultural museum
Published on Wed, Sep 23, 2009Read More Local News
The grandmother figure stands over nine feet tall, her back hunched from the weight of a massive cedar basket full of clams, her feet struggling for balance on top of a giant half-open clam shell. Beneath her, a mischievous creature peeks out from the shell, its bear-like claws clutching the bottom rim.
The totem, carved from a single old-growth cedar tree logged in Darrington, is the work of Tulalip artist James Madison. She will be installed at the Tribes' Hibulb Cultural Museum as a welcome figure, along with an equally impressive figure created by Madison's uncle and fellow carver Joe Gobin.
Although the two figures were created side-by-side in the artists' large shop just north of the Seattle Premium Outlets, their styles are completely different. Madison's grandmother is imbued with an organic, flowing quality with natural-looking posture and realistic facial features. The totem created by Gobin is a more traditional-looking male figure holding a canoe paddle and decorated in the common red and black colors.
"It's very unusual to see an elderly woman as a welcome figure," said Madison. "I wanted to honor that aspect of our history."
The carving is site-specific and the design elements recall important tribal legends. "There used to be a clam bed where the museum will be," Madison explained.
The grandmother, whose name is pronounced Ki-ya in Lushootseed, is adorned with basket patterns representing various themes. School buses ring the base, looking forward to the children who will visit the museum to learn about Tulalip culture. Wolves cavort on the hem of the woman's dress, framed by bear tracks and tall trees. Butterflies form a vibrant pattern on her headscarf, and a dragonfly clasp holds her long braid.
"Butterflies and dragonflies are signals that the salmon have returned," Madison said.
Ringing the elder's neck is a pattern of woolly dogs, an ancient animal that was once an integral part of tribal life for the Coast Salish people.
"The dogs were shorn just like sheep, and their hair was used to weave cloth," said the artist. "Studies on historical clothing samples at the Burke Museum have proved the cloth is made of dog hair, not sheep's wool."
And the face peering from the clam shell under Ki-ya's feet?
"There's a story about a little boy who didn't listen to his grandmother, and he ran away and hid in a clam shell," said the artist. "The clam closed and he couldn't get back out. It's a lesson about respect and obedience to our elders, and when kids shuck clams they look diligently for the little lost boy."
Telling native stories is important for Madison, who learned the tales from his elders. His artwork is filled with cultural symbolism that helps inform the viewer about the rich history of the Coast Salish tribes represented at Tulalip, and keeps those legends alive for the next generation.
His own young sons, 4-year-old Jayden and 2-year-old Jevin, already recognize the iconic symbols that appear in tribal work. "They can see the eagles, canoes and whales," said Madison proudly, "and they're really interested in tribal art and the stories it tells."
Madison, a 2000 UW graduate with a degree in art history, was influenced by the work of his father, James Madison, who was also a proficient tribal artist. But he has also embraced the work of Gian Bernini, a 17th century Italian sculptor who was himself a protégé of Michelangelo.
Madison carved his first piece when he was eight years old, although his education in tribal art began earlier than that. Descended from a family of carvers and artists, he was surrounded by the tribal symbols and the stories they told all his life.
His visions come from within and, as he sculpts the massive cedar logs, he works mostly from touch and memory rather than from sketches. Crude models of the finished piece stand nearby in the studio, created mostly to work out angles and the depth of cuts.
"It's like I have photographs in my head," the young artist explained.
He enlisted the help of his wife Jessica as a model for the grandmother figure.
"I found an old dress at Goodwill and had her stand on a rounded log so I could see how her feet would be positioned, and watched how the fabric moved and folded around her," said Madison. "Of course the face is not hers," he added with a grin. "She wasn't very happy when she saw the face."
In addition to the cedar totem, Madison is also creating a massive glass project for the museum's Canoe Hall, the central chamber. The room-size mural will be made of large panels of sandblasted and fused glass, creating an impressive display. The project gives Madison an opportunity to work with new glass techniques, challenging him to share his unique vision in a different medium.
He is also working on some carvings for the Tribes' new administration building.
"It's fascinating to learn about yourself and to be able to educate others," said Madison. "When kids walk up to the grandmother, I want them to recognize her and learn a little about her life."
There is no official opening date for the Hibulb Cultural Museum and Nature Preserve yet, but it's expected to start welcoming the public within a few months. The museum is located on several acres just west of the freeway off Marine Drive.
The totem, carved from a single old-growth cedar tree logged in Darrington, is the work of Tulalip artist James Madison. She will be installed at the Tribes' Hibulb Cultural Museum as a welcome figure, along with an equally impressive figure created by Madison's uncle and fellow carver Joe Gobin.
Although the two figures were created side-by-side in the artists' large shop just north of the Seattle Premium Outlets, their styles are completely different. Madison's grandmother is imbued with an organic, flowing quality with natural-looking posture and realistic facial features. The totem created by Gobin is a more traditional-looking male figure holding a canoe paddle and decorated in the common red and black colors.
"It's very unusual to see an elderly woman as a welcome figure," said Madison. "I wanted to honor that aspect of our history."
The carving is site-specific and the design elements recall important tribal legends. "There used to be a clam bed where the museum will be," Madison explained.
The grandmother, whose name is pronounced Ki-ya in Lushootseed, is adorned with basket patterns representing various themes. School buses ring the base, looking forward to the children who will visit the museum to learn about Tulalip culture. Wolves cavort on the hem of the woman's dress, framed by bear tracks and tall trees. Butterflies form a vibrant pattern on her headscarf, and a dragonfly clasp holds her long braid.
"Butterflies and dragonflies are signals that the salmon have returned," Madison said.
Ringing the elder's neck is a pattern of woolly dogs, an ancient animal that was once an integral part of tribal life for the Coast Salish people.
"The dogs were shorn just like sheep, and their hair was used to weave cloth," said the artist. "Studies on historical clothing samples at the Burke Museum have proved the cloth is made of dog hair, not sheep's wool."
And the face peering from the clam shell under Ki-ya's feet?
"There's a story about a little boy who didn't listen to his grandmother, and he ran away and hid in a clam shell," said the artist. "The clam closed and he couldn't get back out. It's a lesson about respect and obedience to our elders, and when kids shuck clams they look diligently for the little lost boy."
Telling native stories is important for Madison, who learned the tales from his elders. His artwork is filled with cultural symbolism that helps inform the viewer about the rich history of the Coast Salish tribes represented at Tulalip, and keeps those legends alive for the next generation.
His own young sons, 4-year-old Jayden and 2-year-old Jevin, already recognize the iconic symbols that appear in tribal work. "They can see the eagles, canoes and whales," said Madison proudly, "and they're really interested in tribal art and the stories it tells."
Madison, a 2000 UW graduate with a degree in art history, was influenced by the work of his father, James Madison, who was also a proficient tribal artist. But he has also embraced the work of Gian Bernini, a 17th century Italian sculptor who was himself a protégé of Michelangelo.
Madison carved his first piece when he was eight years old, although his education in tribal art began earlier than that. Descended from a family of carvers and artists, he was surrounded by the tribal symbols and the stories they told all his life.
His visions come from within and, as he sculpts the massive cedar logs, he works mostly from touch and memory rather than from sketches. Crude models of the finished piece stand nearby in the studio, created mostly to work out angles and the depth of cuts.
"It's like I have photographs in my head," the young artist explained.
He enlisted the help of his wife Jessica as a model for the grandmother figure.
"I found an old dress at Goodwill and had her stand on a rounded log so I could see how her feet would be positioned, and watched how the fabric moved and folded around her," said Madison. "Of course the face is not hers," he added with a grin. "She wasn't very happy when she saw the face."
In addition to the cedar totem, Madison is also creating a massive glass project for the museum's Canoe Hall, the central chamber. The room-size mural will be made of large panels of sandblasted and fused glass, creating an impressive display. The project gives Madison an opportunity to work with new glass techniques, challenging him to share his unique vision in a different medium.
He is also working on some carvings for the Tribes' new administration building.
"It's fascinating to learn about yourself and to be able to educate others," said Madison. "When kids walk up to the grandmother, I want them to recognize her and learn a little about her life."
There is no official opening date for the Hibulb Cultural Museum and Nature Preserve yet, but it's expected to start welcoming the public within a few months. The museum is located on several acres just west of the freeway off Marine Drive.
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