Tsimshian Art
What Art Did The Tsimshian Make?
The Tsimshian made many types of art including totem poles, weaving and wood carving. Many of the items they used regularly had art worked into them in one or more ways. An example of this would be that the Tsimshian houses often had paintings on the outside was well as carved support poles.
Totem Poles
Totem poles were only made by native groups found in the Pacific Northwest. Totem poles are usually made of Red Cedar and are used to honor and remember histories, stories, events or important people. Totem poles were not quite read, but were used to help people familiar with the stories to remember them. The totem poles of the Tsimshian and the Haida were the largest of the pacific northwest and would often be 100 feet tall or higher. There were also several types of totem poles created, there were house posts and house frontal poles, which were poles used to hold up longhouses that were also carved, incorporating their houses and art. There is also mortuary poles which are totem poles with a grave box at the top that holds remains and memorial poles to honor a important person after their death.
“Totem Poles.” Indigenousfoundations, indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/totem_poles/.
https://covapp.vancouver.ca/PublicArtRegistry/ArtworkDetail.aspx?ArtworkId=93
Tsimshian Weaving
The Tsimshian were the group that invented the Chilkat Blanket, which are blankets covered with designs of a crest animal or figure weaved into it. The crest figure was split into multiple body parts and each were represented. Although the Tsimshian were the first to make the blankets, the making of Chilkat blankets spread to the Haida and Tlingit and they made the blankets as well. Chilkat blankets are made from thin strips of cedar bark covered in mountain goat wool.
Christodoulides, Christy. “Unpacking a Phrase: The Chilkat Blanket.” Burke Museum, 29 Feb. 2012, http://www.burkemuseum.org/news/unpacking-phrase-chilkat-blanket.
Christodoulides, Christy. “Unpacking a Phrase: The Chilkat Blanket.” Burke Museum, 29 Feb. 2012, http://www.burkemuseum.org/news/unpacking-phrase-chilkat-blanket.
Christodoulides, Christy. “Unpacking a Phrase: The Chilkat Blanket.” Burke Museum, 29 Feb. 2012, http://www.burkemuseum.org/news/unpacking-phrase-chilkat-blanket.
Modern Day Artists
Some of the modern day Tsimshian artists I found are David Boxley, Corey W. Moraes, Michael (Mike) Epp and Tracy Starr. There is a very large amount of Tsimshian artists still active today and many have online galleries for people to purchase their art. I was unable to find names of past artists.
“Bentwood Box Gallery.” David Boxley – Tsimshian Bentwood Boxes and Chests Gallery, http://www.davidboxley.com/gallery_boxes.shtml.
David Boxley was born in 1952 in Metlakatla, Alaska. David is a well known wood carver and is known for emphasizing Tsimshian carving styles in all the art he makes. He has carved 65 totem poles over the last 26 years among the other carving and prints he has made. David has also played a large role in the revival of Tsimshian culture by hosting and organizing potlatches in Alaska and Washington State.
“Meet The Artist.” David Boxley – About David – Biography, http://www.davidboxley.com/about_david.shtml.
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