Joe Feddersen (born 1953) is a Colville sculptor, painter, photographer and mixed-media artist. He is known for creating artworks strong in geometric patterns reflective of what is seen in the environment, landscape and his Native American heritage.

Background

Early life and higher education

Joe Feddersen was born in

Washington state Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a U.S. state, state in the Northwestern United States, Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first President of the United States, U.S. p ...

to a

German American German Americans (german: Deutschamerikaner, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 43 million in 2019, German Americans are the largest of the self-reported ancestry groups by the Unite ...

father and an

Okanagan The Okanagan ( ), also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is par ...

Sinixt The Sinixt"Sinixt Nation…" (also known as the Sin-Aikst or Sin Aikst,Reyes 2002, ''passim.'' "Senjextee", "Arrow Lakes Band", or — less commonly in recent decades — simply as "The Lakes") are a First Nations People. The Sinixt are ...

mother.Rushing III, W. Jackson. ''Joe Feddersen: Sacred Geometry''. "After the Storm" pp. 33-47. Eiteljorg Museum, 2001. He was first exposed to printmaking at

Wenatchee Valley College Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) is a public community college in Wenatchee, Washington. The college provides students with adult education classes, certifications, associate degrees, and four bachelor's degrees. WVC's primary service district i ...

under the direction of artist

Robert Graves Captain Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was a British poet, historical novelist and critic. His father was Alfred Perceval Graves, a celebrated Irish poet and figure in the Gaelic revival; they were both Celt ...

. Feddersen earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in

printmaking Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed techniqu ...

from the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seatt ...

in 1983 where he studied under artists Michael Spafford and

Glen Alps Glen Alps (1914-1996) was a printmaker and educator who is credited with having developed the collagraph. A collagraph is a print whose plate is a board or other substrate onto which textured materials are glued. The plate may be inked for printi ...

. In 1989 he obtained his Masters of Fine Arts from the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

. Following his Masters he became an art instructor at

The Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a p ...

Current life

When not creating art or teaching, Feddersen also serves as a writer, curator, consultant and active member of the Colville Confederated Tribal Arts & Humanities Board. He received, in 2001, an Eiteljorg Fellowship for Native American Fine Art award. In 2009 he left his teaching position at Evergreen State College and returned to

Omak, Washington Omak ( Merriam (1997), p. 869) is a city located in the foothills of the Okanogan Highlands in north-central Washington, United States. With an estimated 4,845 residents as of 2010, distributed over a land area of , Omak is the largest municipa ...

, his hometown. While occasionally teaching at Evergreen, he has been focusing on exploring the medium glass and has become involved with Pilchuck Glass School and the Museum of Glass.

Artistic career

Early work

''My prints and mixed media work explore personal perceptions of my surroundings...Earlier prints become the departure for new work. They incorporate printing techniques and the addition of staples, pins, mirrors, oil pastels and acrylics o achieve a rich surface quality white retaining luminosity of previous layers. - 1987''

Feddersen's early creations involved photography and collage

self-portrait A self-portrait is a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist. Although self-portraits have been made since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid-15th century tha ...

s in the early 1980s, reflecting on the individual and the environment surrounding self. However, his first major work was "Rainscape"; a series of lithographs that were exhibited at the Heard Museum's 3rd Biennial Native American Fine Art Invitational. Through "Rainscape" Feddersen incorporated blended colors to form a rain-like landscape, reminiscent of the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Thou ...

environment. This series launched Feddersen into the major contemporary art world; artists such as

Jaune Quick-To-See Smith Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (born 1940) is a Native Americans in the United States, Native American visual artist and curator. She is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is also of Métis and Shoshone descent. She is ...

compared his use of color to

Mark Rothko Mark Rothko (), born Markus Yakovlevich Rothkowitz (russian: Ма́ркус Я́ковлевич Ротко́вич, link=no, lv, Markuss Rotkovičs, link=no; name not Anglicized until 1940; September 25, 1903 – February 25, 1970), was a Lat ...

and ''

Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington st ...

'' art critic

Deloris Tarzan Ament Deloris were a 4 (sometimes 5) piece indie rock band from Melbourne, Australia, who were active from 1999 until 2008. History Deloris was formed in Frankston, Victoria, by Marcus Teague (singer/songwriter), Simon Heelis (guitar), Luke Turley ( dr ...

reflected on the woodblock works of

Hiroshige Utagawa Hiroshige (, also ; ja, 歌川広重 ), born Andō Tokutarō (; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ''ukiyo-e'' artist, considered the last great master of that tradition. Hiroshige is best known for his horizontal-format l ...

when reviewing the works.

Printwork

In the early 1990s Feddersen created a series of

monoprints Monoprinting is a type of printmaking where the intent is to make unique prints, that may explore an image serially. Other methods of printmaking create editioned multiples, the monoprint is editioned as 1 of 1. There are many techniques of mono-p ...

based on blanket designs of the

Plains Indians Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nation band governments who have historically lived on the Interior Plains (the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies) of ...

and Pendleton Woolen Mills. Heavy in geometry and layers and blended colors, the series were described by art scholar W. Jackson Rushing III as "watery veils of color", which brought out further comparisons to Rothko. With the series "Plateau Geometrics" Feddersen continued to create prints during the latter half of the 1990s. All of the prints in the series are one of a kind (instead of an edition) and incorporate techniques such as

etching Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...

drypoint Drypoint is a printmaking technique of the intaglio family, in which an image is incised into a plate (or "matrix") with a hard-pointed "needle" of sharp metal or diamond point. In principle, the method is practically identical to engraving. The ...

aquatint Aquatint is an intaglio (printmaking), intaglio printmaking technique, a variant of etching that produces areas of tone rather than lines. For this reason it has mostly been used in conjunction with etching, to give both lines and shaded tone. ...

, blind embossing and

linocut Linocut, also known as lino print, lino printing or linoleum art, is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum (sometimes mounted on a wooden block) is used for a relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleu ...

s. The prints feature a pattern of geometric forms over a gridded layout; some are flat while others have a highly textured appearance. According to the artist the works represent his

homesickness Homesickness is the distress caused by being away from home.Kerns, Brumariu, Abraham. Kathryn A., Laura E., Michelle M.(2009/04/13). Homesickness at summer camp. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 54. Its cognitive hallmark is preoccupying thoughts of home ...

and memories of living on the reservation. At the time of creation he was living and working in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...

, on the opposite side of the

Cascade Mountains The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, a ...

that serve to separate Colville country from Seattle. The geometric patterns represent designs seen in Colville basketry and cornhusk bags, while the complete series expresses Feddersen's desire to reflect on his communities traditional culture and his modern art background.

Sculpture and basketry

Basketry entered into his catalog in the 2000s, learning Plateau-style techniques from poet and artist

Elizabeth Woody Elizabeth Woody (born 1959) is an American Navajo/ Warm Springs/ Wasco/Yakama artist, author, and educator. In March 2016, she was the first Native American to be named poet laureate of Oregon by Governor Kate Brown. Background Elizabeth Woody ...

. And recently his work has focused on glass making. Drawing influence from designs seen in

Plateau Indian Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Plateau, also referred to by the phrase Indigenous peoples of the Plateau, and historically called the Plateau Indians (though comprising many groups) are Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous peoples ...

art, he creates artworks showing repeating patterns, leaving them with titles such as ''Cul-de-Sac'', ''Scaffolding'' and ''Tire'', a critique on contemporary life with a touch of tradition from Colville basketry.

Major exhibitions

2023 * "Sharing Honors and Burdens: Renwick Invitational 2023", Renwick Gallery Smithsonian Institution. May 26, 2023 - March 31, 2024. 2010 *''Across Cultures: Fifty Objects from the Macy Collection'',

Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was founded in 1899 as the final public university established in the Arizona Territory, 13 years before Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. ...

*''Infinity of Nations'', National Museum of the American Indian, New York. *''Joe Feddersen: Vital Signs'',

Hallie Ford Museum of Art The Hallie Ford Museum of Art (HFMA) is the museum of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. It is the third largest art museum in Oregon. Opened in 1998, the facility is across the street from the Oregon State Capital in downtow ...

2008 * ''Joe Feddersen: Vital Signs'', Missoula Art Museum 2006 *''Made at the Museum: Northwest Selections'', Museum of Glass 2005 *''Art Objects'', Portland International Airport *''Changing Hands 2: Art Without Reservation'',

Museum of Arts and Design The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), based in Manhattan, New York City, collects, displays, and interprets objects that document contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design. In its exhibitions and educational programs, the mus ...

*''Land Mark'', Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture 2003 *''Continuum'',

National Museum of the American Indian The National Museum of the American Indian is a museum in the United States devoted to the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution group of museums and research centers. The museum has three ...

2002 *''Lasting Impressions'',

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

2001 *''After the Storm'',

Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is an art museum in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The Eiteljorg houses an extensive collection of visual arts by indigenous peoples of the Americas as well as Western Ame ...

1991 *''Our Land/Ourselves'',

University at Albany, SUNY The State University of New York at Albany, commonly referred to as the University at Albany, UAlbany or SUNY Albany, is a public research university with campuses in Albany, Rensselaer, and Guilderland, New York. Founded in 1844, it is on ...

1987 *''3rd Biennial Native American Fine Art Invitational'', Heard Museum 1986 *''New Directions/Northwest'',

Portland Art Museum The Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon, United States, was founded in 1892, making it one of the oldest art museums on the West Coast and seventh oldest in the US. Upon completion of the most recent renovations, the Portland Art Museum bec ...

1984 *''No Beads, No Trinkets'', Palais des Nations Feddersen's work has also shown in numerous private galleries as well as other public institutions such as the

Whatcom Museum of History and Art The Whatcom Museum (housed in the Old City Hall, Lightcatcher building and Syre Education Center) was originally built in 1892 as the city hall for the former town of New Whatcom, before it was joined with surrounding towns to form Bellingham, Was ...

Simon Fraser University Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian is a museum devoted to Native American arts. It is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico and was founded in 1937 by Mary Cabot Wheelwright, who came from Boston, and Hastiin Klah, a Navajo singer and medi ...

, Shoreline Community College, among others.

Notable collections

Harborview Medical Center Harborview Medical Center is a public hospital located in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is managed by UW Medicine. Overview Harborview Medical Center is the designated Disaster Control Hospital for Seat ...

* Heard Museum *

Johnson & Johnson Corporation Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1886 that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company i ...

* Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center *

Merrill Lynch Merrill (officially Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated), previously branded Merrill Lynch, is an American investment management and wealth management division of Bank of America. Along with BofA Securities, the investment ba ...

Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washingt ...

* Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture *

Pacific Northwest Bell Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was an AT&T majority-owned Bell System company that provided local telecommunications services in Oregon, Washington, and northern Idaho. Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was formed on July 1, 196 ...

* Peabody Essex Museum *

* Seattle Art Museum *

Tacoma Art Museum The Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) is an art museum in Tacoma, Washington, United States. It focuses primarily on the art and artists from the Pacific Northwest and broader western region of the U.S. Founded in 1935, the museum has strong roots in the c ...

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

University of Western Sydney Western Sydney University, formerly the University of Western Sydney, is an Australian multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, Australia. The university in its current form was founded in 1989 as a federated network ...

* U.S. Department of the Interior *

U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other n ...

Whitney Museum of American Art The Whitney Museum of American Art, known informally as "The Whitney", is an art museum in the Meatpacking District and West Village neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875–194 ...

His work is also seen in the collections of the cities of Portland, Seattle and

Ephrata, Washington Ephrata ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Grant County, Washington, United States. Its population was 8,477 at the 2020 census. History Ephrata was officially incorporated on June 21, 1909 and was given the county seat for the newly creat ...

Notable awards

*John H. Hauberg Fellowship, 2009, Pilchuck Glass School * Eiteljorg Native American Fine Art Fellowship, 2001, Eiteljorg Museum

References

External links

Joe Feddersen
Vision Project, by Mique'l Askren {{DEFAULTSORT:Feddersen, Joe 1953 births American people of German descent Colville people Living people Native American painters Native American sculptors Native American photographers Native American printmakers American glass artists Sinixt Modern printmakers University of Washington School of Art + Art History + Design alumni Evergreen State College faculty University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni People from Omak, Washington 20th-century American artists 21st-century American artists