Artwork copyright James Jordan. Photo courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Artwork copyright James Jordan. Photo courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Sisiutl, 1982

James Jordan
American (born 1945, died 2001)

Location: Department of Transportation - Ferry: Issaquah, Seattle

About the Artwork

Non-Native artist James Jordan hand-carved and painted Sisiutl for the MV Issaquah, a Washington State Ferry. The title refers to a mythological creature representing the power of lightning. It is a figure common to many Indigenous Tribes of the Pacific Northwest Coast, including the Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Squamish peoples. Jordan notes, "In this design, Thunderbird is shown in the center, with the Sisiutl surrounding it. The Thunderbird created thunder by flapping his wings, and the Sisiutl represented lightning. If a Sisiutl could be caught, it would serve it's captor as a self-propelled canoe and take its master anywhere he commanded." Many elements of the artwork are based on Indigenous Northwest Coast art styles and traditions. The painted Sisiutl figure is based on curved and ovoid formline designs. The cedar boards were hand-carved with an adze, in the style of Northwest Coast carvings.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Department of Transportation - Ferries.

About the Artist

Oregon-based, non-Native artist James Jordan (1945-2001) created artworks influenced by the artistic traditions of the Northwest Coastal tribes. He was born in Longview, Southwestern Washington and attended Lower Columbia College (in Longview) before graduating from the American School of Photography. James Jordan was a longtime resident of the small town of Rainier in Northwestern Oregon on the Columbia River.