Masks up!

Celebrated Native American artist Lillian Pitt will show her multi-media works, monoprints, clay masks and ceramic, steel and cast glass sculptures in “Ancestors Known and Unknown,” opening this Saturday, May 7, at the Newport Visual Arts Center.

Pitt was born and raised on the Warm Springs reservation in Oregon and is a descendent of the Wasco, Yakama and Warm Springs people. The focus of her work is on creating pieces that delight contemporary art lovers while still honing the history and legends of her people.

“Native American arts of the Columbia River and related Plateau regions are unique in many ways from the arts of Native peoples elsewhere in North America,” Pitt said. “But not many people are aware that there was tremendous diversity from one region to another. The differences include, among other things, the types of baskets, materials and design that were created. My focus in this exhibition is honoring my ancestors in many media, giving me the opportunity to learn more about myself and my skills.”

Pitt’s work has been exhibited and reviewed regionally, nationally and internationally, including at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, the Portland Art Museum and the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including the 2007 Earle A. Chiles Award for Lifetime Achievement and the 1990 Governor’s Award of the Oregon Arts Commission.

She currently resides in Portland.

“We are pleased to host Lillian Pitt at the Newport Visual Arts Center,” VAC Director Tom Webb said. “She is a good friend to Newport and the Oregon Coast.”

“Ancestors Known and Unknown” will be on display through May 28 in the Runyan Gallery of the Newport Visual Arts center, located at 777 NW Beach Drive, open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4 pm. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-6540.