Artwork copyright Dennis Cunningham. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Spring Chinook, 1989

Dennis Cunningham
(American, born 1949, died 2021)

Location: Darrington High/Middle School, Darrington

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Spring Chinook is part of artist Dennis Cunningham's group of block prints that use narrative imagery to explore our relationship to the natural world. This piece features multiple layered images. A bold central form like a tornado is filled with salmon and shellfish. The artist states, "With my subject matter, I explore the complex relationship between who we are and how we behave in a natural world. 1 draw from my own experiences in the midst of those complex relations. The images are sometimes autobiographical and often philosophical."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Darrington School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Oregon artist Dennis Cunningham (1949-2021) created graphic relief prints and paintings with elaborate and witty visual narratives. His chosen medium was linoleum prints in black ink on white paper. He often focused on landscapes of lakes and streams, with a lone figure engaging in his favorite activity: fishing. His artworks explore personal identity, a sense of place, and environmental concerns.

Born in Medford, Oregon, Cunningham received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Museum Art School (now Pacific Northwest College of Art) in Portland, Oregon in 1975. He was one of the founding members of Blackfish Gallery in Portland. He taught printmaking at Pacific Northwest College of Art and Marylhurst University (both in Oregon).