Indigenous craft practices are intricately woven into cultural traditions, cultivating and sustaining societies that deeply honor their ancestors, the Earth, and the principle of universal balance. These craft traditions transcend mere artistic expressions; they embody integral elements of indigenous worldviews, accentuating the interconnectedness and symbiosis with both the natural and spiritual realms. Artwork created using traditional motifs and following traditional protocols becomes an active participant in the greater culture. Innovating indigenous design traditions gives way to the exciting opportunity of extending the influence of cultural values beyond local indigenous communities and into the future. The analysis of Formline design of the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast in this context demonstrates how artistic traditions nurture principles and ethics that build balanced and resilient societies.

Embracing ancestral knowledge offers a channel for the creator to connect to, collaborate and communicate with their community in a way that experimental and individually-expressive artforms cannot access. Just inside the main entrance doors at Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Walter Soboleff Building on Seward Street in Juneau, Alaska, guests are greeted by a 40’ wide by 15’ tall hand-carved and painted Tsimshian house screen (figure 1). The screen was carved by a father-son duo of internationally recognized master artists, David R. Boxley and son David A. Boxley respectively[1]. These two artists have dedicated their lives to rendering monumental works following traditional design and protocol, reinforcing the standard for indigenous artists along the Northwest coast and beyond.

(Figure 1) Sealaska Heritage Institute, 40’x15’ cedar house screen with door to the Clan House carved and painted by David R. and David A. Boxley, installed 2015. KenGrahmPhotography.com

Visitors to the Walter Soboleff building may appreciate the scale, precision, and bold design of the house screen; however, the cultural impact of the screen stretches far outside its immense physical presence. This screen communicates visually with the local clans — acknowledging relationship to the land and to each other — and instills cosmic lessons of unity, balance, multidimensionality, and reciprocity.

Beyond the figurative imagery depicted within design elements lies cultural values communicated by the practice of formline design itself. Formline is a term coined in the 1970s by non-indigenous anthropologist Bill Holm to describe the set of design principles that make up the stylized artform of the coastal indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. Prior to Holm’s extensive analyzation and written documentation of the Northwest Coast arts, artistic philosophies or aesthetics were not defined outside of the actual pictural evidence. Perhaps most indicative of the coastal peoples’ worldview was Holm’s observation of Northwest Coast artists’ use of space. He proclaimed that — across all the meticulously carved and painted boxes, chests, weavings, and screens he inspected, it appeared that the artist used “all of his sensitivity to relate that design to the total space and to control the shape of the ground or negative space.” Designs fit specifically to the space in which they are applied. Deliberate action and expression are dependent on the inherent nature of the pre-existing environment. Every positive and negative element is conformed in all its parts and to the whole of the pattern.[2] Holm’s keen observation of how artists manipulate space underscores the interconnectedness between design and the surrounding environment, revealing a deliberate and harmonious relationship that extends beyond the act of art-making itself.

Values of reciprocity are also demonstrated within the practice of formline. the sensitivity to relationships among forms and the binding together with varied line networks reflects a profound understanding of the dynamic and cyclical nature of existence. As Bill Holm aptly expresses in his essay on “The Principles of Form,” the movement within formline design is self-contained, carrying to the edge but always returning, creating a little universe within the design[3]. The lines, swelling and constricting around secondary shapes, exemplify the reciprocity of energy—they intensify and weaken, but the primary formlines remain infinitely connected. In true formline designs, one could trace every black formline without ever lifting a finger, illustrating the perpetual flow of energy that never fully dies, mirroring the enduring essence of life.

(Figure 2) “Sea Monster Transforming into Sea Wolf” by Robert Davidson, acrylic on deer hide, 24”, date unknown.

Illustrating the Coastal People’s belief that all things possess a spirit, Northwest Coast art incorporates living entities into virtually every aspect of the formline. Within the details of ears and eyes, one often discovers yet another being, subtly asserting its existence and reinforcing the interconnectedness of all life forms. Fins, ears, and feet are intentionally crafted to resemble birds’ heads, a visual language made possible by the indistinguishable nature of eye and joint designs. In Robert Davidson (Haida)’s “Sea Monster Transforming into Sea Wolf” (figure 2), beings inhabit not only expected areas like irises and hands but also transformative elements, like the tail, emphasizing the spiritual essence embedded in every aspect of the art. Through such intricate depictions, Northwest Coast artists convey a worldview where the spiritual and the tangible are intricately intertwined.

(Figure 3) “Malibu Raven” by Alison Bremner, serigraph, 15″ x 18″, 2013

The customary use of symmetry in formline not only serves an aesthetic purpose but also communicates a profound spiritual insight—the multidimensionality of our reality. Typically, formline demonstrates horizontal symmetry, skillfully presenting whole animals split bilaterally to unveil both sides simultaneously[4]. Even when a design appears asymmetrical on one side of a box, its revered side emerges reversed on the adjacent side. This design convention, as illustrated in Alison Bremner’s contemporary depiction of a stiletto-wearing raven Malibu Raven (figure 3), reinforces to both the practitioner and their audience that existence and truth extend beyond what is visible in one static moment. It suggests that reality transcends our immediate perception and peripheral vision, inviting contemplation on the interconnected layers that shape our understanding of the world.

(Figure 4) Glass house screen by Preston Singletary, title unknown, 17’x12′, installed 2015.

Mastery of art forms with intricate technologies and design principles necessitates diligent relationship-building and remains inseparable from the encompassing culture—the land, its people, songs, dances, and stories. Creative and moral teachings extend both backward into time immemorial and forward into the promise of future generations. Even in contemporary Northwest Coast artworks, artists draw from an extensive lineage and robust collaborative relationships. The small door in the Boxleys’ house screen opens to an interior clan house, “Shuká Hít” or “Ancestors’ House,” featuring a 17’ wide and 12’ high glass screen (figure 4), a modern cultural art installation project led by Tlingit artist Preston Singletary. Despite using a medium unknown to Tlingit artists pre-contact, this house screen’s aesthetic design and formal function are rooted in traditional values. Traditional clan houses, with their small front doors, tiered flooring for communal gatherings, and house screens, set the stage for the environment clan members encounter upon entering Shuká Hít, reinforcing their place in the community and lineage. The creation and installation of works like Singletary’s screen serve as a bridge from the past to the future, communicating stories and values through its formline figure while simultaneously welcoming the future with its contemporary medium.

Artists that embrace both traditional and universal elements in their work can cultivate communicative tissue between oftentimes opposing worlds. Richard William Hill describes these types of artists as “transcultural”, as they straddle cultural influences.[5] In his 21 foot-long aluminum canoe sculpture Yaadachoon (figure 5), Robert K. Mills’ (Tlingit) combines core Tlingit values with contemporary materials, forging essential links between disparate worlds. He expands on the importance of symmetry in Northwest Coast art through a contemporary medium. Mills’ creation prompts reflection on the binary self-governance structure of the Tlingit, emphasizing the Eagle and Raven moieties, and underscores the civic responsibilities of perpetually caring for and upholding one’s opposites. Crafted with precision through thousands of years of refinement, Tlingit canoes served as the primary mode of transportation in the inlets and channels of Southeast Alaska, enabling activities such as food harvesting, trade, battles, and ceremonies. The necessity for coordinated effort in paddling underscored the importance of working in unison. In his work statement, Mills writes, “May this [canoe] be a reminder for us all, to implement the unfailing civic duties of Tlingit people, to uphold respect and acknowledge your opposites, ensuring that we will always be paddling in unison towards the betterment of humanity.”[6]

(Figure 5) “Yaadachoon” by Robert Mills, aluminum, 20’ 10” x 91” x 6’, 2020

Indigenous craft practices go beyond mere artistic expression, becoming vital components ingrained in cultural traditions. Rooted in ancestral knowledge and spiritual insights, these traditions serve as dynamic channels for communication, collaboration, and the transmission of ethical values. The works of master artists such as David R. and David A. Boxley, Preston Singletary, and Robert K. Mills exemplify how the fusion of tradition and innovation sustains cultural vibrancy within indigenous communities, and now extending outward into the global eye. Navigating the delicate balance between the ancient and the contemporary, these artists embody timeless principles of interconnectedness, reciprocity, and unity, ensuring that the enduring essence of Indigenous craft continues to shape and inspire balanced and resilient societies.

[1] “A Guide to the Walter Soboleff Building.” Sealaska Heritage Institute. Accessed November 30, 2023. https://www.sealaskaheritage.org/sites/default/files/wsbbooklet_webwithcover.pdf.

[2] Holm, Bill. “Principles of Form and Organization.” In Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form, 50th Anniversary Edition, 2nd ed., 67–91. University of Washington Press, 2015. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvct025f.14.

[3] Holm, Bill. “Principles of Form and Organization.” In Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form, 50th Anniversary Edition, 2nd ed., 67–91. University of Washington Press, 2015. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvct025f.14.

[4] Holm, Bill. “Symbolism and Realism.” In Northwest Coast Indian Art, 2nd ed., 8–13. An Analysis of Form, 50th Anniversary Edition. University of Washington Press, 2015. http://www.jstor.org.iaialib.idm.oclc.org/stable/j.ctvct025f.11.

[5] Besaw, Mindy N., Candice Hopkins, and Manuela Well-Off-Man. Art for a New Understanding: Native Voices, 1950s to Now. University of Arkansas Press, 2018. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv75db7c.

[6] Robert K. Mills. “Robert K. Mills.” Accessed December 1, 2023. https://www.robertkmills.com.