Artwork copyright Lillian Pitt and Juno Lachman. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2024.

Artwork copyright Lillian Pitt and Juno Lachman. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2024.

Honoring Wak'amu, 2024

Lillian Pitt and Juno Lachman
Lillian Pitt (American | Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, born 1943); Juno Lachman (, born 1967)

Location: Mt. View Elementary,

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Honoring Wak'amu by artist team Lillian Pitt and Juno Lachman is a sculpture garden honoring the value and beauty of the Camassia Quamash plant. Camas is native to Shelton (in south Puget Sound) and the nearby Olympic Peninsula. It has been an important food source to the Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years. The Camas plant was used as a source of nutrition and flavoring. Its bulbs were boiled or grilled over a fire. It wasn't generally a preferred meal, but it was always available because the bulbs could be stored and saved for the lean, cold winters. The Camas flower is beautiful and common throughout the Pacific Northwest.

The Camas flower sculpture stands within a design of concrete pavers based on the Sturgeon basket weaving pattern that is common to the area's tribes. The design is directed in a North, South, West, and East pattern.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Shelton School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Northwest Native American artist Lillian Pitt (Warm Springs, Wasco, Yakama) creates masks, sculptures, jewelry, prints, public art, and more. She uses a variety of materials including clay, bronze, and glass. Her art reflects and celebrates her Warm Springs, Yakama, and Wasco heritage. In Pitt's own words: “Everything I do, regardless of the medium, is directly related to honoring my ancestors and giving voice to the people, the environment and the animals. It’s all about maintaining a link with tradition, and about honoring the many contributions my ancestors have made to this world.” She was honored with a Governor’s Award of the Oregon Arts Commission in 1990.

Juno Lachman is Lillian Pitt's collaborator. He has been doing Pitt's glass casting for about fifteen years.