Artwork copyright Dan Friday. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.

Artwork copyright Dan Friday. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Jenn Cohen, 2023.

Kulshan Bear, 2023

Dan Friday
American Lummi (born 1975)

Location: Ferndale High School, Ferndale

About the Artwork

Kulshan Bear by Dan Friday represents Chief Cuomo Kulshan and his two daughters seated by his side (Mount Baker and the twin sisters). Friday notes “My family and relations are the ‘Children of the Setting Sun’. We are the descendants of Xa-Tel-Ek, also known as Frank Hillaire. Frank signed the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855, effectively removing our people from the San Juan Island chain in Washington State and establishing the Lummi Nation Reservation near Bellingham, Northwestern Washington. Xa-Tel-Ek was the Bear. I am the Bear.” The Bear can be seen throughout Friday's artworks.

This artwork is part of a curated collection by Tami Landis in September 2023 for Ferndale High School, in Whatcom County, Northeastern Washington. The collection is rooted in a creative spirit of admiring and honoring our connection to the lands and sea of this region. The artworks also share a theme of diversity and inclusivity. They speak to all walks of life, in all seasons, and act as a symbol of welcoming for years to come.

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

About the Artist

Friday studied at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Northwestern Washington, and at South Seattle Community College. He has spent the last twenty-five years creating his own work, and also working with artists such as Dale Chihuly, Paul Marioni, and Preston Singletary. He has taught at the University of Washington, Pilchuck Glass School, and the Haystack Craft Center in Maine. He is a member of the Lummi Nation.