Lattimer Gallery is excited to be carrying a new selection of vintage Northwest Coast First Nations prints. While large-format paintings are not very common in the Northwest Coast art market, silkscreen prints are and they gained great popularity amongst West Coast Native artists in the 1960s. This was a format that placed design at the forefront of creation and that allowed artists to distribute their work widely. Many of the artists that embraced this atypical art form in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s rose to become very well known and talented artists later on. Some of these early printmakers included
Rick Adkins (Haida),
Art Thompson (Nuu-chah-nulth),
Phil Janze (Gitxsan), and
Ken Mowatt (Gitxsan).
Among the pieces that we have available for sale are:
A rare and incredibly early work by acclaimed Haida artist Robert Davidson.
Titled Dogfish and measuring 29" x 13", this is a classic Haida design and a highly collectible silkscreen. It was created in 1971. Robert belongs to the Eagle clan. His father was Claude Davidson, his great grandfather was Charles Edenshaw, and his brother is Reg Davidson. In 1984, Robert carved a talking stick for Pope John Paul II to commemorate his visit to Vancouver. In 1985, he carved three totem poles for the Pepsi Co. International Sculpture Garden and in 1986 he was commissioned to create a painting for Expo ’86 in Vancouver. In 1992, Robert was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts at the University of Victoria, BC and in 1993 there was a major retrospective of Robert’s works at the Vancouver Art Gallery, which then traveled on to the Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec. In May of 1996, Robert was awarded the Order of Canada.
A small and charming Hummingbird print by prolific Nisga'a jeweler and artist Norman Tait.
Measuring 15" x 11" and framed with UV glass, this print can easily be removed from the frame and shipped in a poster tube. It is dated 1977 and is signed by the artist. The
Hummingbird is a symbol of good fortune and health. Norman Tait is the son of acclaimed carver, Josiah Tait, and is the brother of Chief Alver Tait and jeweller
Robert Tait. Norman Tait went to a residential school in Edmonton, completed highschool in Prince Rupert and then had a brief career as a millwright. In 1973, he established himself as a wood carver with the production and raising of the first Nisga'a pole in over fifty years. In 2012, Norman was given the British Columbia Creative Lifetime Achievement Award in Aboriginal Art. In addition to being a carver in metals and woods, Norman is also an expert on Nisga'a art and culture. Since the mid-1970s, Norman has traveled through B.C. and around the world to research Nisga'a art and history. He is also one of the few practicing shamans among the Nisga'a.
An iconic and striking Artist Proof Wolf print by famous Haida artist Bill Reid.
Measuring 37" x 30" in its original frame, this classic print has been signed by Bill Reid and is numbered AP. An Artist Proof is a print from a limited edition run that is produced for the artist's personal use. William Ronald Reid was a world renowned sculptor and is now regarded as one of Canada’s finest artists. Bill Reid was also a descendant of the great Haida carver and jeweller, Charles Edenshaw. In 1990, he completed his monumental Spirit of Haida Gwaii bronze sculpture for the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. There is also a bronze cast of the Spirit of Haida Gwaii at the International Departures Terminal at Vancouver International Airport. In addition, this sculpture is also featured on Canada's twenty dollar bill. Bill received the Order of Canada in 1994 and died in 1998.
Please call or email the gallery to inquire after any of these pieces. Thank you for your interest.
