For the month of May this Raven triptych is installed down at the Woolworth Windows in Downtown Tacoma! This installation was a part of Spaceworks Tacoma’s public art program where they showcase artists in the various display windows in the old Woolworth’s building downtown. I’ve seen many art installs at the windows over the years, Including seeing my Wayzgoose steamroller prints displayed the past two years as a part of the group Wayzgoose print show, but this is my first solo install!

As these three pieces came to me I wasn’t entirely certain of their connection. I knew they all revolved around the sun and daylight. As I engaged with the process of making them more and more I started to see their connection as all being about sun cycles. The far left piece is titled “Solstice.” Growing up in Alaska, both the summer and winter solstices were notable occasions. I always enjoyed the endless summer in the daytime, and the darkness of winter. I love being back in Alaska in June to spend summer solstice where the night never truly gets dark. This piece is focused on the sun. The two dichotomies of winter and summer solstice constantly pulling back and forth.

The far right piece is titled “Equinox.” These two ravens hold the sun and moon, equal in size— day and night perfectly in balance. The equinoxes always feels like more subtle days. Quiet reminders that a turning point has been crossed. Today the days become longer than the nights, or today the nights become longer than the days. For a brief moment, the day and night are in tandem.

The center piece is titled “Angalix̂/Amgix̂” (translated from Unangam Tunuu: Day/Night). While the other two pieces depict annual cycles, this piece is the sun cycle of our every day. It can be hung with the sun at the top and the central mask awake, or flipped with the moon atop and the mask asleep.

These were made with carved plywood for the ravens, painted black with acrylic, and the sun/moons are gold/sliver leaf. The carved mask in the central piece is carved out of basswood. In the Woolworth windows they’re suspended from each other and the ceiling with wire, but for normal wall display they can be hung like a normal artwork with standard hooks on the back.

These pieces hang about 22” off the back wall in the center of the display window space, and the wire visually disappears so they all look like they’re just suspended, hanging weightlessly in the space, which is exactly what I wanted them to feel like. All three are available for purchase so if you’re interested in acquiring one (or all!) of them, get in touch!