Bowl c. 1980 - 1988

This is a bowl by Tshuosh, of the Sawos people, and it’s made of paint on wood. I’m curious about the kind of exchange Tshuosh was hoping for in creating this bowl. There’s a push and pull of colors and tones – a warm orange with yellows, whites, and creams. Look closely, and you’ll see that these colors highlight the carved concentric lines and shapes. Did Tshuosh choose these particular colors to play with light and shadow? And the shapes themselves! There's a central figure—maybe a face, or a totem—surrounded by others. I can imagine him standing back and forth, deciding which shapes to carve out, working with the material, the wood, until the figures emerged. Artists learn from one another across time, influencing each other's creative processes. Tshuosh’s bowl feels like a piece of a long, ongoing conversation. It has something timeless to say.