Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts at 25

Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts at 25 explores the first twenty-five years of a remarkable nonprofit printmaking and traditional arts studio based on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in eastern Oregon, the only such center located on a reservation community in the United States. Art historian Prudence Roberts, drawing from conversations with CSIA founder, the artist James Lavadour, narrates the institute’s history from its beginnings through the establishment of a professional quality printmaking program and an international reputation. Native American art scholar heather ahtone and curator Rebecca Dobkins trace the development of indigenous printmaking in North America, further contextualizing this story. Over sixty color plates will illustrate selected work from the dozens of artists, indigenous and non-indigenous, who have completed residencies at CSIA since its founding, including luminaries of contemporary Native American art Rick Bartow, Joe Feddersen, Jeffrey Gibson, Edgar Heap of Birds, James Lavadour, Lillian Pitt, Wendy Red Star, and Marie Watt.

heather ahtone is James T. Bialic Associate Curator of Native American and Non-Western Art at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, University of Oklahoma. She is the editor of Photo/Synthesis: An Exercise in Artistic Sovereignty and From the Belly of Our Being: Art by and about Native Creation. Rebecca J. Dobkins is professor of anthropology at Willamette University and curator of Native American art at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. She is the author of Marie Watt: Lodge and coauthor of Joe Feddersen: Vital Signs. Prudence F. Roberts is professor of art history at Portland Community College. She is the coauthor of Frank Boyden: Prints and Books.