Tradition of Carving

Tradition of Carving. Mulkilteo Walking Tour Stop 3. , The Gifts from the Old Growth Cedars , Back 1,000 years ago until the 1880’s, old growth cedar was abundant along the drainages of our streams and the Snohomish River. Just as salmon and marine species played an important role in providing food for the Snohomish people, the trees provided the material for their daily lives. The large logs were hollowed out for canoes and they split easily into long straight timbers to build long houses from lapped plank boards for walls and the roof. The inner bark (parenchyma cells in the phloem) could be stripped after the bark was removed and used for braiding rope, typing planks to beams, creating fish weirs, weaving outer robes, sandals, baskets and hats – protecting the wearer from rain. The use of carved logs as house posts was a way of keeping carving alive after the signing of the 1855 Point Elliott Treaty in the Mukilteo area. The strength and versatility of trees (broad-leaf maples and alders) were carved into utensils and other household items as well as what is considered fine art. These traditions and knowledge continue to be passed on to Snohomish and Snoqualmie artisans today. (Discussion with Henry Gobin Jr. (Kwitlum Kadim)(1941-2013)., Keeping the Tradition of Carving Alive , William Shelton (Wha-cha-bud Whea-Kadim) (1868-1938) is one carver that is now recognized as having kept totem and canoe carving alive for the Tulalip Tribes. Carving is a skill that is passed down from one generation to the next. Williams’ [sic] father Charles (d. 1898) and Uncle taught him how to carve early on, but he did not start carving large totems until his mid-forties. He attended the Mission School (the first Indian Boarding School) age 18-21 years, in order to learn the “whites” ways. He is said to have attended the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle in 1909. This experience with Eskimo, Alaskan and Canada’s first people cultures being celebrated, influenced his desire to retain and pass on traditional song and artwork (Discussion with Hank Gobin). William Shelton became a nationally recognized carver who was commissioned by the City of Seattle (dedicated in 1940), Everett (1920-1922), State Capital [sic], Woodland Park, and other locations out east (1926-29) to carve totem poles, just as he was turning 60 years old. His story poles have a distinctive style with the poles painted white and two dimensional animals or persons that are also painted to be representative. This style of story pole has elements that are more recognizable then [sic] the Alaskan poles to unfamiliar audiences. Wayne Williams (Squilquiton) is his grandson and helped to retrieve two canoes and other carvings now housed at the Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center. Four (4) long house poles are displayed as part of the Hibulb Cultural Center’s long house. Story and long house poles by the Snohomish carvers are flat on the back or two dimensional. This is their traditional carving style distinctly different from the Southeast Alaska round/three dimensional totem poles found at the Vancouver University and Victoria B.C. Museums. Many other tribal carvers continued the tradition of producing small scale work during the 1940, 1950 and 1960’s by carving ceremonial, smoke house and welcome figures. (Henry Gobin Jr.). There is a break in documented carvers between William Shelton and the future carver chosen to curate his poles., Frank Madison, Sr. (1923-2002), who knew William Shelton, became the curator of William Shelton’s poles and carvings as well as being a carver in his own right. Frank Sr. also spent time in Seattle with Alaskan carvers. As a grandfather, Frank Madison Sr. taught both Richard Madison and Steve Madison on many afternoons after school. All three taught James Madison how to carve. James was also able to travel with his grandfather to restore several of the William Shelton poles while he was still young. He also provided the stories behind the images that represent the history of the Snohomish and Snoqualmie people. James was taught to carve with chisels and uses other powers tools., Bernie Gobin (Kai Kai – Blue Jay or Wise One) (1930-2009), was on the Tulalip Board for 30 years, the lead on the Bold Decision and built the current tribal hatchery (named the Bernie Gobin Kai Kai Hatchery). Bernie taught Joe Gobin, his son[,] how to carve using adzes and knives. He also led the Tulalip Tribe in fishery and hatchery management for many years and this knowledge was passed on to several sons. Joe Gobin has passed down his knowledge to Jeremy Gobin. Bernie used and Joe uses traditional tools to shape old growth logs. Joe is able to create his own adzes for different angle cuts to enisle and peel out sections of a log., Artists Collaborating , Joe Gobin and James Madison have been working together since 2000 and since the Tulalip Tribes established the tribal carving facility in 2005. Although their styles and designs are different, and James Madison has introduced other materials and techniques, they have found a compatible way of letting each artist produce their individual artwork while combining them into collaborative art pieces. (You can see these collaborative efforts in the metal sculpture, concrete planters and concrete stamps). James refers to “Uncle Joe” since they are related by marriage and he always defers to him as an “elder”. The traditions passed down by other tribal carvers seem to have helped to solidify their unique artistic relationship. Mukilteo uniquely benefits from this collaboration placed here to recognize the importance of Mukilteo to the Salish-Snohomish and Snoqualmie people past and present., James Madison, BFA , James Madison graduated from the UW School of Fine Arts adding depth and diversification to his traditional training obtained from his grandfather Frank Madison, Sr. His father Frank Madison, Jr. and Uncle Richard Madison were taught by Frank Sr., thus keeping a tradition of carvers alive over multiple generations. By age 5 James was allowed to use a knife to carve small pieces of wood. Following his grandfather, James learned carving and restoration techniques, he also was able to learn the traditional stories that are part of the visual narrative. What seems to be remarkable is that his grandfather noted his capabilities in being able to visualize his carvings in three dimensions even before he started working on a carving. James would feel and rotate the wood until he saw the carving that wanted to be released from the interior. Their discussions allowed James to further this skill, and by attending the UW he was able to add different materials – molded glass, creations in stained glass, bronze or metal as stand-alone sculptures or to his wood story/totem poles. James in now passing his teaching, culture and education down to his two sons Jayden and Jevin Madison. His body of work continues to grow with tribal, commercial, hospital and public artworks in the Puget Sound area., Joe Gobin , Joe Gobin is a traditional Native American artist. He was trained by his father Bernie Gobin (1930-2009). He worked with Jerry Jones on several projects including the first currently used ocean going canoe in 1988. His interest in the traditional carving of canoes, poles and paddles took him on several journeys to talk with and to work side by side with several Native American carvers in Washington and to study artifacts at the Burke Museum. Joe Gobin has studied William Shelton’s work; studied recovered artifacts and used the traditional stories to create their art. His hand-drawn artwork relates to traditional Native American stories and are chosen to both represent the marine world and the sky. Their ancestors reside in the “water world” and the close connection between salmon and Orca whales and his artwork represents this important circle and cycle. He is also a fisherman so has experienced and is respectful of the inner-workings of nature, and between mammals and humans. He is soft spoken, thoughtful, and can solve almost any construction problem. Joe’s sons and grandsons are following the carving tradition by working with him on give-a-ways for gatherings and ceremonies. They also work together on their fishing boat. Joe has created a substantial body of work that reflects coastal Salish artwork. These will help teach future carvers and Native American artists.