Susan A. Point
Coast Salish Native artist Susan A. Point (b. 1952) resides in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Susan’s contemporary artwork blends authentic, traditional motifs with her distinct personal style. Her primary media include precious metals, serigraphs, woodblock prints, and acrylic paintings. In 1990, Susan began creating large scale public art using stainless steel, glass, bronze, concrete, wood, terra cotta and forton casting. Susan has collaborated with developers and architects to produce Coast Salish-inspired installations at the Vancouver International Airport, public buildings, and corporate developments. Her works found worldwide include the tree grate sculpture, “Red Oak,” for the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle, WA, 1986, and “The Beaver and the Mink” for the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., 2004. Past shows have included “Salish images – Tribute to Salish Art,” UBC Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, B.C., 1986, and “Exhibition of Northwest Coast Indian Art,” Nordamerican Indian Museum, Zurich, Switzerland, 1994.

Shaun Peterson
Born in 1975 in Puyallup, Washington, Native artist (Qwalsius) Shaun Peterson has become an integral part of the revitalization of Salish art. (Qwalsius) Shaun has been working in the field of Northwest Coast Native American Art since his high school graduation, mentored by prominent artisans like Steve Brown, Greg Colfax (Makah), George David (Nuu-chah-nulth), and Loren White. His early works include painted drums, screen printing, and carving. He later experimented with more nontraditional media in his art, such as metal and glass. (Qwalsius) Shaun has created public works for the cities of Tacoma and Seattle, as well as tribal buildings. In 2005, he received the Native name Qwalsius, a name that belonged to his Great Grandfather and which signifies a responsibility to uphold family and community. (Qwalsius) Shaun honors his heritage through his creative expression, stating, “I believe that the art itself has been most responsible for preserving our stories through intrigue and curiosity.”

Robin K. Wright
Robin K. Wright received her Ph.D. in art history from the University of Washington in 1985. She has since taught art history at the University of Washington and has a joint appointment as Curator of Native American Art at the Burke Museum. Robin is the current director of the Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Coast Art, a learning center that promotes scholarly research on Northwest Coast Native art. Her research on Haida art has resulted in numerous publications, including Northern Haida Master Carvers, which won the Washington State Book award in 2002. She also wrote A Time of Gathering, winner of the 1992 Washington State Governor's Writers Award, and published Pacific Northwest Indian Art in Museums and Private Collections: The Bill Holm and Robin K. Wright Slide Collections. Wright has curated many exhibits at the Burke Museum, including: “Out of the Silence: The Enduring Power of Totem Poles,” Oct. 2002 through Aug. 2003; and “Entwined with Life: Native American Basketry” in 2000.

Bill Holm
Bill Holm, Professor Emeritus of Art History, and Curator Emeritus of Northwest Coast Indian Art at the Burke Museum, is recognized internationally as one of the most knowledgeable experts in the field of Northwest Coast Native art history. Holm has written eight books, all of which have won scholarly acclaim and recognition with four Washington State Governor's Writers Awards, and two special Governor's awards. His book An Analysis of Form is one of the all-time best-selling books published by the University of Washington Press. Holm’s teaching at the University of Washington has broadened the understanding and appreciation of Native art in several generations of students. Other accomplishments include the certificate of appreciation from the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people of Southeast Alaska through the Sealaska Heritage Institute in 2001, Honor Award in 1991 from the American Art Studies Association, and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1994.