‘These answers will come back to us.’ Architect and Spokane tribal member Shawn Brigman ignites a new path in recovering Indigenous canoe culture
Jan. 9—For many artists, the art-making process is spiritual. One must mentally and firmly grasp onto sparks of creativity and deliver it into the physical with care and precision, a meticulous intentionality. Some ideas blossom quickly and take decades. For other people, like architect and artist Shawn Brigman, creating art is an early, swift concept.
“When I was 4, 5 years old, I found my sumesh, which is our spiritual power. It is something that happened (early) and that’s what’s been guiding me the whole time.”
Now, at 47, Brigman has spent most of his life spearheading the innovation of