"Youth Dedication: A Wisham Boy"

Medium(s): Woodcut (Printmaking)
January 13, 2007



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High School -Senior Project- composition done with printmaking using wood block instead of linolium. This piece was based on a paper I wrote for this project concerning the importance of Native youth and their relation to the preservation of our oral history and culture. On the right is the main drawing on the wood before the carving process. The right is the result of the printmaking overall style. This was an Edward S. Curtis photo I referanced of a Wisham nation boy around 1900 or so.
This overall represents the lifestyle of warriors we once learned and looked up to in the old days, and also what was expected of them. Boys very quickly became men, and all had to prove themselves of this. Usually relating to war and counting coup, boys would be given a silly and derogatory name, but was changed once the boy gained respect by stealing enemy horses or counting coup on a human enemy themself. At this time, boys were no longer seen as such and were considered men.
This also tells the story of contemporary life of Native youth now compared to then. The drastic change and in most cases, the carelessness of youth relating to their culture, and actively participating in such. The loss of oral traditions and language, though some languages like my nation are making a comeback and have a very high likelyhood of survival. This overall represents we do what we do, whatever that may be..but at the end of the day, it all matters and depends on what we show and teach the younger generations.



---Artist's Critique---

This composition overall is simply a first attempt at something new. Doing printmaking on a woodblock is almost entirely different than doing it on a lino pad. With wood, you're forced to go with the grain, and cannot curve the carving in any way. This entire piece is entirely created by vertical lines, if you look close enough.
Not my favorite example of my printmaking in the portfolio, but is a good first attempt at using a woodblock instead. I learned in this piece that putting lines close enough together would create a shading effect, which I was forced to do in order to go with the wood's grain.
This could have been done much better I believe with more patience and not outlining the edge of the pompadour (stuck up bangs) and the eagle feather.