Northwest Indian Art

Northwest Indians
Approximately 2000 miles from northern California to the Alaskan panhandle; the Pacific Northwest Coast was initially home to more than 70 distinct tribes from four different linguistic families. These families consisted of the tribes Athabaskan, Penutian, Salish and Wakashan.

Northwest Indian Artwork
In spite of the great variety and differences of Northwestern Indian tribes, the artwork of the whole region has a distinguishing style apart from others. This is partly due to the wide-ranging coast to coast trading networks that were in place long before the Europeans arrived.

Each Northwest Indian homeland has its own distinctive designs. People who are familiar with native Pacific Northwest art can differentiate what tribe or what village an art form originated from. Northwest Indian art forms have not only survived in art history books, but they also continue to remain as flourishing, uninterrupted artistic customs of the native people who first fashioned them.

Northwest Indian art and crafts created by Northwest Indian artists are notorious for basketry (including unique basket hats and capes), complicated woodcarving of ceremonial masks and majestic totem poles. They are also notorious for weavings of the unusual Chilkat blankets. The bold, stylish designs of time-honored Northwest Indian Coast art also provide newer art forms like painting or creating jewelry. Many other Northwestern artists have used these means to introduce their Northwest Indian art customs to a broader audience.

Where to Find Northwest Indian Art
If you're a person who is interested in Northwest Indian arts and crafts that were personally made by Native Americans of the Northwest Coast, you can find authentic Northwest Indian art at various specialty stores. You can also find Northwest Indian art on the internet at online stores who sell Northwest Indian art. There are many stylish designs and items to choose from. Northwest Indian art will add color and radiance to just about any room in your home.