Visual Arts & Programming that spark Reflection, Discovery, Inspiration & Connection

currentExhibitions

Current Exhibition

June 13 - September 15, 2025

NICHOLS, NORTH, & ATRIUM GALLERIES

Shapeshifters

Showcasing the extraordinary diversity of contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous Art.

"Raven always outwits the moment. He transforms to meet life’s challenges and shapeshifts to create new solutions for today’s dilemmas."

-- Lee Brooks, Guest Curator

The title Shapeshifters embodies the Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples’ connection and respect for the cleverness of the Raven. It also reflects their diverse cultures’ ability to persevere and adapt to change for millennia.

Selections from SJIMA’s First Nation Artists Collection, along with work by some of the Northwest’s most renowned Indigenous artists, including Christian White, Rande Cook, Susan Point, Tim Paul, Gordon Dick, Dan Friday and many more will be on view throughout the galleries.

EXPLORE SHAPESHIFTERS

interviews

Shapeshifter ARTIST INTERVIEWS

Discover the voices behind the art.
In these special interviews, SJIMA Trustee and Docent Coordinator Marney Reynolds and SJIMA Assistant Director Wendy Smith speak with Northwest Coast Indigenous artists Christian White, Rande Cook, Dan Friday, and Gordon Dick. Hear each artist share their inspirations, cultural traditions, and personal journeys in their own words. Watch below to explore the stories and ideas that shape their extraordinary work.

Christian White

Gordon Dick

Dan Friday

Rande Cook

upcoming

Upcoming Exhibitions

September 26 - December 1, 2025

NICHOLS GALLERY

River of Their Passing, (detail), ink and collage on paper, 70" x 600"

All is a Circle Within Me

Emily McIlroy

A meditation on time, spirit, and connection, Emily McIlroy’s work interweaves geometric abstraction and organic figuration to explore the circle as a symbol of unity across cultures and lifeways.

EXPLORE

NORTH GALLERY

Unlock, bronze, 14" x 18" x 8"

Complex Simplicity

Jan Hoy

With elegant restraint, Jan Hoy sculpts form into movement—minimal, contemplative works shaped by years of inquiry and inspired by the Pacific Northwest landscape.

DISCOVER

ATRIUM GALLERY

Bull Kelp, (detail) cyanotype banner, 15" x 34"

Kelp! Reverberations

Josie Iselin, Betsy Peabody,
Ken Pearce, Jonathan Kawchuck

Step into a luminous kelp forest brought to life through cyanotype banners, oceanic soundscapes, and sculptures that celebrate marine ecology.

IMMERSE

News & Artist Profiles

Rande Cook in Shapeshifters at SJIMA: Bridging Worlds Through Contemporary Vision

West Coast Kwakwaka’wakw MFA artist Rande Cook is featured in SJIMA’s Shapeshifters exhibition, on view through September 15, 2025. A hereditary chief and innovative contemporary artist, Cook bridges ancestral teachings with modern expression in works such as Sisiutl, Salmon Run, and Beyond the Mask, inviting viewers to experience transformation, balance, and connection across cultures.

A man standing confidently in front of a wooden structure with a sign reading "AHTSIK Native Art Gallery" and "Gordon Dick, Artist/Owner." The setting includes logs, tools, and a garage door, with a forested background. The man is dressed in a blue shirt, black vest, and gray pants. Photo by Melissa Renwick, ©2023.

Gordon Dick: Honoring Story and Spirit in Wood

Rooted in his Tseshaht heritage on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Gordon Dick has been immersed in the cultural and artistic traditions of his community since childhood.

Five colorful glass fish sculptures mounted on a light gray wall, casting shadows. Each fish displays a unique blend of vibrant hues.

Dan Friday: Shaping Stories in Glass

Seattle-based glass artist Dan Friday, a member of the Lummi Nation, blends Coast Salish tradition with contemporary glass techniques to tell powerful cultural stories. Discover how his work—featured in SJIMA’s Shapeshifters exhibition—transforms light, form, and heritage into timeless art.

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Museum visitor in black with white sleeves enjoying artwork on the wall

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