Artwork copyright Caroline Orr. Photo courtesy of the artist.

The Ancestors, 1993

Caroline Orr
(American | Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation | Lillooet Okanagan, born 1943)

Location: Beaver Lake Middle School, Issaquah

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

The Ancestors is a mixed-media and glass sculpture by artist Caroline Orr. It is part of a series of glass artworks using symbols and materials that reflect the culture and history of the Okanogan plateau. Orr (Lillooet Okanogan) traces her heritage back thousands of years within this area. The series uses pictographic images to depict myths of transformation. This artwork was created during a residency at Pratt Fine Arts in Seattle.

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Northwest artist Caroline Orr (Lillooet Okanogan) creates paintings, prints, and sculptures influenced by her Native American heritage and the stories passed down by her ancestors. Orr grew up on the Okanogan plateau of North-Central Washington. She notes "Beginning my life on a reservation cattle ranch, I have always been inspired by nature and my native heritage, taught to me by the legends of my grandparents. Art... has helped me to express my appreciation for these stories and the wisdom of my ancestors." The Okanogan Tribe's traditional territory spans the U.S.-Canada boundary in Washington and British Columbia.

Orr earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (1965) in art from the University of Washington in Seattle, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (1973) from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (1977) in painting from the University of Washington in Seattle.