Nespelem (art) facts for kids

Nespelem art was a special art movement and a place where artists lived and worked together, called an art colony. It was located near the Nespelem River in Washington State. This area is home to the Colville Confederated Tribes, who are Native American people.

The art colony started around 1937. Artists there had an important job: to record the culture of Native Americans. They also wanted to capture the history of important people involved in Native American events from the late 1800s in the Northwest.

What Made Nespelem Art Special?

Unlike many artists in western Washington and Oregon, who often focused on art styles from Asia or the Pacific Coast, the Nespelem artists looked closer to home. They wanted to highlight the past, present, and future of the Interior Salish culture. The Interior Salish are a group of Native American people whose way of life was becoming endangered.

This focus made the Nespelem area a perfect spot for artists. They could capture memorable scenes and stories. These artworks would then help future generations remember and understand this important culture.

Who Started the Art Colony?

The Nespelem art colony was founded by two artists named Worth Griffin and Clyfford Still. They were the first to create a large collection of visual records about the Nespelem people.

Griffin and Still welcomed about 15 to 20 students into the colony at a time. Some of these students were already professional artists. Everyone worked very hard during the week. They spent many hours creating portraits of people and painting landscapes. On weekends, they would often go to Grand Coulee to sketch new ideas.

When the artworks were finished, they went to many different places. Some of these important pieces were given to the Washington State Historical Society, where they could be preserved and shared.