July 10, 2003
Totem pole carver at the Burke
On selected Saturdays this summer, Tlingit carver Stephen Jackson will demonstrate the art of totem pole carving within the temporary exhibition, Out of the Silence: The Enduring Power of Totem Poles. As Stephen creates an original work based on the Tlingit legend of the Kaats grizzly bear, museum visitors will have the opportunity to watch a contemporary Northwest Coast artist at work.
Stephen and his father, renowned Tlingit carver Nathan Jackson, are currently creating a pair of totem poles to replace two that were recently repatriated to the Tlingit tribe by the Burke Museum. While Nathan Jackson’s pole will draw upon traditional formline design techniques, the younger Jackson’s totem pole is an abstract and innovative contemporary design, radically different from the style of work that many typically associate with Northwest Coast carving.
Stephen Jackson began carving with his father at the age of 4 and got his first private commission at age 18. Since then, Stephen has received numerous commissions, both independently and working collaboratively with his father, and he has traveled extensively. This will be Stephen’s first museum installation.
Jackson carves in the gallery from noon to 4 p.m. on July 19 and 26; and Aug. 2, 16, 23, 30. For more information, please visit http://www.burkemuseum.org or call 206-543-5590.
