Heard @ The Heard 2010: Getting the Inside Scoop on Seriagraph-Making with Coast Salish Artist Peter Boome

I have been an artist since I could pick up a Crayon and draw on the wall…I can’t remember ever not creating.”— Peter Boome, Coast Salish artist

Get me near Northwest Coast First Peoples’ art and I immediately become excited. Forget that I’m from the Northwest and forget that it was the first type of indigenous art that made me realize there was art outside of the performing world. First, it was the masks that attracted me, then it was sculpture, and then I became interested in handmade Northwest Coast jewelry.  In the last couple of years, I have been enjoying seriagraphs, which are hand-done screen prints. While the drama and the detailed work of the Northwest Coast tribal mask appealed to my senses, these beautiful hand-printed pieces are equally labor-intensive to create and dramatic.

Upon arriving in the Southwest, in an effort to learn more about my environs, I refocused my eye more on art of the pueblos in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe region. Having lived in New York between stints in the Pacific Northwest and now New Mexico, it never occurred to me that these two distinct art worlds would be so interconnected. It has been wonderful to go to SWAIA Indian Market and the Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair and Market and feel like I’m home by meeting Northwest Coast and Alaskan artists.

Peter Boome, currently a resident of University Place, Washington, is a member of the Upper Skagit Tribe and works in the Coast Salish style. Now a law student and a father of four, Boome focuses most of his time these days on his seriagraphs rather than on carving. There are many Northwest Coast artists working with seriagraphs, but, in my opinion, Boome creates some of the most beautiful Northwest Coast images I have ever seen.

With the rising costs involved with making and selling original art, Boome and his wife Lois formed their company (Araquin, also the name of their son) with the idea of creating high-quality art in larger numbers that people could actually afford.

Boome uses a hand-drawn stencil and then layers colors to create the desired effect for his seriagraphs. The artist stays true to his culture by depicting only images derived from his region, but if he hears a particular story that appeals to him, he is likely to tell it in his own way through art.

Peter Boome was kind enough to let me shoot some images and talk briefly to me about his work at the 2010 Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Fair and Market. Watch the video HERE.

Heard @ The Heard 2010: Uncle Paulie Hits the Road to Phoenix for Native Art

When my friend and award-winning Jemez Pueblo potter Kathleen Wall insisted I head out to the Heard Museum's Indian Fair and Market this past weekend, how could I say no?  She even made arrangements for me to stay on the Gila River Pima reservation at her mother, Fannie Loretto's  house. Loretto is a Jemez and Laguna mask artist . 

That was a thrill because I had the opportunity to see the wonder and the stress of getting ready for market.  As most artists do, Loretto and Wall were putting the final touches on their pieces in preparation for Saturday and Sunday well into the wee hours of the night after Friday's preview party and auction at the Heard.  I got to stay up with them to help and admire their dedication and craftsmanship.

Of course the preview party was fun because I got to hang out with some of my favorite people Jody Naranjo of Santa Clara Pueblo, Glendora Fragua from Jemez, Navajo clothing designer Penny Singer, Kathleen, and my roadtrip companion Taos potter Suann Davin.   Suann and I traveled all the way to Phoenix from Albuquerque together, and I was amazed when I finally saw her unique, contemporary, geometrically-exciting micaceous pottery on Saturday morning.  The show seemed well-attended, and with over 700 of the finest Native artists selling their work, it was a huge learning opportunity offering one of the best times I have ever had, both visually and culturally.

Last August, I attended SWAIA's Indian Market and didn't know a soul.  This time around, I saw so many people I knew, it was like all of New Mexico was in Phoenix!  I really enjoyed spending time getting to know Santo Domingo cartoonist Ricardo Cate, Thomas Tenorio, Colin Coonsis, Peter Boome, as well as making other new friends like Pilar Agoyo, Phillip John Charette and Ed Archie Noisecat.  I finally got to meet Chris Pappan, Nocona Burgess as well as Mateo Romero.  I even got to hang for a bit with my friends, award-winning Navajo painter Sheldon Harvey and Marian Denipah and Steve LaRance.  In spite of the rain and the three snowstorms I had to drive through to get back to Albuquerque, it was completely worth it.

The best part of all was that many of the fine artists in attendance took the time to talk to me about their lives, their art and inspirations.  This week I begin a video interview series entitled "Heard @ The Heard 2010".  I hope you will join me for these special portraits of artists who are making their unique marks in the world of Native American arts.