Bill Holm

H took this picture of Bill Holm telling me about the changes in his book 'Northwest Coast Native Art, An analysis of Form"first published in 1965- I was a student at the UW in 1978 and oh so fortunate to enroll in all 3 semesters of his Northwest Coast Art classes (2 dimension/ paintings, 3 dimension/Sculpture and Dance). Tonight was the opening of a new exhibition at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, and the Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Native Art. (Some of you must know it’s a favorite place of ours.!) The exhibit Here&Now features 30 new works by contemporary Native artists , paired with historic pieces from the Burke museum collection. Small but exquisite. AND, if you go to that link, you can see a short video about THE mask that is in this show that inspired the Seattle Seahawks logo!!!!! I cannot wait to take the grandkids to this!

Bill Holm is 89 years old. And all bent over. Tall me had to bend low to hear him. I will never forget his performances in class in '78-'79, I learned so much about the art and culture. He had us do some formline designs (he was the one who after studying the art for years, came up with the “rules” for Northwest Coast art in his book. ) He used to mix up the exact color paint (black, red, and a green/blue) we needed and dole it out in little film containers for us to use to paint. I still have my assignment. (maybe a future blip?) We will soon have a new copy of the book that has been reissued, hardcover, with more colored illustrations instead of the black line crosshatching and some interviews with some 4 artists that he is explaining about to me. Is he not darling!? I’m so glad we went and I had this wonderful opportunity!

The writing you can barely read on the wall in back between the cedar planks is by David Robert Boxley

One can never be done learning
I want to see every piece I can
of the old masters

They are my teachers
and this is the only way
I can learn from them.

a few more on flickr