Artwork copyright Artist Unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1985.

Square Basket, 1950

Artist Unknown
Nationality unknown

Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia

About the Artwork

The artist of Square Basket is not known. The colorful, hand-woven artwork was acquired in Neah Bay, on the northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula, Western Washington. The sides of the small 3x3 inch basket show four people in a traditional canoe of the Indigenous Northwest Coast peoples. The people are all wearing the traditional Northwest Coast woven, cedar bark hats that have a very distinctive shape. This imagery is woven directly into the basket with dyed cedar strips of different colors.

This artwork is part of Beyond Blue Mountains, a collection that was curated by late Tlingit (Native Alaskan) artist Jim Schoppert. It presents the work of Native American artists of diverse heritage, ideas, materials, and styles. The collection takes an in-depth look at the artists’ unique voices and interpretations of tradition.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Washington State Arts Commission.

About the Artist

Artist's birthdate and other biographical information is not known to us. If you can add to this information, please contact us at collections@arts.wa.gov.