Artwork copyright Adam McIsaac. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Adam McIsaac. Photo courtesy of the artist (detail).

Navigator, 2006

Adam McIsaac
(American, born 1972)

Location: Columbia Valley Elementary, Vancouver

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Navigator was created by Adam McIsaac for Columbia Valley Elementary in Vancouver, Southwestern Washington. McIsaac was inspired by the two-hundred year anniversary of Lewis and Clark's westward expedition (1803-1806). He also had a theme of navigation in mind. This sculpture is carved from an 1,100 year old western redcedar tree. McIsaac uses handmade tools in the traditional Northwest Coast style.

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Pacific Northwest artist Adam McIsaac creates carved wooden sculptures, as well as paintings and prints. He is a non-Native artist, and he studied under the non-Native artist Duane Pasco, who has made the study of Indigenous artistic traditions of the Northwest Coast his life’s work. McIsaac uses carving tools and materials from traditional Native American Northwest Coast carving. He continues to learn about these traditions by working with local Indigenous communities, with a particular focus on the artistic traditions of the Columbia River tribes. McIsaac lives and works in La Center, on the Columbia River in Southwestern Washington.