OSCAR TUAZON

Oscar Tuazon was born in Seattle and currently lives and works in Los Angeles. Tuazon is a student of the Lushootseed language, learning from Vi taqʷšəblu Hilbert, Lawrence Webster, Thom Hess, Zalmai ʔəswəli Zahir and the Puyallup Language Program. His artwork draws on different construction methods; based in minimalism, conceptualism and architecture, the artworks engage both the viewer and the site. He studied at Deep Springs College, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program.

His artwork has been exhibited throughout the world in solo and group shows, including the Henry Art Gallery and Bellevue Arts Museum locally, and the MSU Broad Museum, the Hammer Museum at UCLA, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Le Consortium in Dijon, France and at galleries internationally. He has received public commissions in Boston, New York, Paris, and Belfort, France. He was also represented in the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Randi Purser is a Suquamish tribal member, with family roots in Skokomish, Cowichan, Lummi and Makah. Purser carves for herself in Salish style, but she is versed all traditional NW Coastal Styles. For Purser, the great pleasure in carving is being completely present in the moment. She first carved with Michal Pavel in 2008 which led to learning from Ruth and Andy Peterson which also directly led to apprenticing with Duane Pasco in 2009. Her artwork is represented in public, corporate and private collections. In 2019, she was artist-in-residence at the Suquamish Museum where her artwork was featured in a one-person exhibition.

Tyson Simmons is a member of the Muckleshoot Indian tribe and a talented Coast Salish artist. His work spans a diverse approach and perspective. By tapping into the history and teachings of his people and merging them with his own approach and experience, Tyson is able to create something entirely new and exciting. Traditional Salish art for the 21st Century. His vision and his voice are indicative of this; honoring the past by celebrating the future. This all comes together in an exciting and unique way and informs Tyson’s world view and work. From metal working and creation of his own carving knives, through rattles and spears, to canoes and story poles, Tyson’s range of abilities cover extremes.

Tyson has a broad range of influence and is thus able to produce a unique and diverse perspective of work. He will tap into and utilize any and all tools available to him to achieve a goal of vision. Whether this means carving cedar with a adz which is hundreds of years old or accessing the most-cutting edge and contemporary digital imagery to realize an image, Tyson’s artistry and creativity are paramount.

Tyson carries on the long tradition of Salish artists from the region. He has bridged the traditional with the contemporary and as a result is able to crest something entirely new and exciting. Over the course of thousands of years and hundreds of generations, a completely unique worldview and expression developed in the Salish Sea region which is both beautiful and insightful in tapping in to the Native American perspective and point of view.

Tyson had the formal honor and training of being mentored by his people’s last-remaining master carver of dugout river canoes and spent literally thousands of hours perfecting this training and technique; however, has since also been influenced and inspired by many. Most notably, the strong traditional knowledge and influence of his traditional people and homelands shape and inform his approach and style. He honors these teachings and principles through his expression and products, today. As is also customary with the traditional teachings of his people, Tyson; who now carries the knowledge and teachings of this vitally important and spiritual work, is responsible and required to continue to pass them on in a good way and humbly. This is what Tyson’s work represents.

Keith Stevenson is a coast Salish artist and he is a member of the Muckleshoot Indian tribe. His work spans a diverse approach and perspective. His vision merges the cultural teachings and tradition of his people with a unique and exciting contemporary point of view that is fresh exciting. His work primarily entails carving large and small scale work; a spectrum of expertise and abilities spanning in scope from grand on one end; canoes and story poles... to extremely fine on the opposite; rattles and spear making.

Keith works within various medium and thus able to tap into a broad range of influence. As a result, while he works primarily in traditional natural resources and is a well-respected and recognized figure of the Pacific Northwest Native American carving and artistic movement, he is also able to master and utilize contemporary and cutting edge tools and resources such as digital technology or imaging software and tools to expand his approach and influence helping to further solidify his artistic interpretation and expression.

Utilizing his talent, training and abilities, he creates indigenous designs and work that display a unique, bold and beautiful perspective through the lens and point of view that define the Native American experience in the 21st century . He humbly works doing so for his people and with neighboring communities throughout the Pacific Northwest region up and down the coast.

Amazingly, Keith is self taught; however, inspired by many... None more important than his ancestors and ancestral lands themselves; casting their shadow and influence throughout history, since time immemorial. As is customary with the traditional teachings of his people, Keith; who now carries the knowledge and teachings of this vitally important and spiritual work, is responsible and required to continue to pass them on in a good way and humbly. This is what Keith’s work represents.