Preston Singletary and David Franklin

Preston Singletary (American, Tlingit, born 1963)
David Franklin (American, born 1972)

Preston Singletary (Tlingit and Filipino-American) grew up in the Seattle area listening to stories told by his great-grandparents, who were Tlingit (Native Alaskan). In 1984, Singletary took part in his first workshop at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Northwestern Washington. In the late 1980s, he began including traditional Tlingit themes into his work. In his own words, “It was only when I began to experiment with using designs from my Tlingit cultural heritage that my work began to take on a new purpose and direction.” Singletary has returned to Pilchuck as both a teacher and student many times, and he has blown glass around the world. In 2018, he was honored with a Washington State Governor's Arts and Heritage Award. In 2024, he was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame (his grandmother is Filipina).

David Franklin creates public art in a variety of styles and materials, including metal, glass, and wood. His goal is to create an instant connection between the viewer and his art. Franklin is a non-Native artist, and some of his artworks are influenced by Native American Northwest Coast styles. He grew up in Colorado and started his art career with graffiti. In the early 1990s, he moved to the Pacific Northwest and began a ten-year apprenticeship with non-Native artist and carver Duane Pasco, who has made the study of Indigenous artistic traditions of the Northwest Coast his life’s work. Franklin learned graphic and sculptural skills, and he gained experience with large-scale art fabrication and installation. He lives and works on the Kitsap Peninsula, on southern Puget Sound, Western Washington.