Please join me for a post that means a lot to me. Yesterday my friend Chris and I went to visit the Warm Springs Museum. My dear longtime friend and Pacific Northwest Native American Artist - Lillian Pitt - has decided to retire from her successful art and sculpture career and the museum installed a retrospective exhibit of her work. Lillian was born in Warm Springs and is a member of the Warm Springs, Yakama and Wasco tribes. As we entered the exhibit, there were two amazing pieces of her sculpture done in crystal glass - this one is "She Who Watches" cast in New Zealand lead crystal. Oh how I love this.
But I'm ahead of myself.. this is the entrance to the museum.
The main lobby is beautifully designed with these wonderful wooden supports to the sky blue arched ceiling.
The impressive entrance to the exhibit.
This is the Warm Springs Stick Indian mask.. isn't this beautiful?
Lillian also makes masks of clay and fired in a raku kiln. I love how she decorates the masks with feathers, leather and beads.
Two large art pieces loomed high on the wall.
This sculpture was also tall and impressive with a bronze mask.
Lillian has also done many cast glass pieces which are just luminous and in many colors. This one incorporates a hammered copper base.
Clay mask - called "Warning Spirit" inspired by an ancient petroglyph.
A large installation of standing sculptures, clay masks and framed art.
The beauty of Lillian's masks is that each are individually formed of clay so each has it's very own personality.
Seneca Woman.
I love the colors in this one.
In the center of the room was a large glass case with glass sculptures in a rainbow of colors.
There were several informative displays telling us about the art and Lillian. If you want to enlarge this to read it, click on it.
After the exhibit we visited the wonderful gift shop of the museum.
When I knew I was going to this art exhibit I felt that I needed to add something wonderful to my small collection of Lillian Pitt pieces. I looked around and heard Chris call to me.. she wanted me to see this small bronze sculpture in the window...
The bronze sculpture below came home with me. If you hold out your hand and spread your fingers, this would fit right in your hand. I'm in love with it. The legend of Tsagaglalal or She Who Watches is that she was a woman chief of her tribe, when she died her image was stuck upon a high rock so she could watch over her tribe forevermore.
The real petroglyph is below - you have to hike out through a rocky landscape to get to visit She Who Watches - I've been there twice and both times were very special to me. I got this photo a few years ago. She is located in Washington State on the Columbia River.
The beautiful Warm Springs woman who was in charge of the shop that day showed us one of Lillian's clay masks and I shared with her my trade beads I was wearing.. that were dug out of the sands of the Columbia River before Bonneville Dam flooded the river and covered the beaches forevermore.
I admired the beaded wallet in the window..
Another one is white with bright colors..
A gorgeous beaded purse of roses.
A collection of handmade dolls.
As we exited the museum I enjoyed the water feature there which is calming and beautiful.
A beautiful and peaceful place to visit.
As we drove out of Warm Springs and enjoyed the desert around us with the high mesas I was once again amazed at the beautiful place we live and how the topography changes is such a short time. You could see Mt. Hood as we came up out of the desert valley of Warm Springs where the Deschutes River rushes through. As we drove along it got closer and closer until we were upon it's massive shoulders.
And this is what our mountain looks like in late summer before the fresh snow falls to cloak her in a freezing clean coat of white.
On the way out of the museum there were posters for the taking so we each snatched up two of them.
I wore my special Lillian Pitt earrings of She Who Watches. I actually wear these almost every time I go out of the house to "town". Lillian sold me her very own gold sculptures before I left to Washington DC to visit the National Museum of the American Indian. She wanted to make sure that She Who Watches would protect me and watch over me on the trip. Is it any wonder that I adore Lillian? :-)
This is a photo of Lillian and I when she gave a presentation to the Portland Women's Forum 4 years ago. :-)
I do hope you enjoyed my photos and story of a very special day. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
