'Black Sheep" Fine Art Print by Louie Gong

The latest work from Louie Gong (Nooksack), Black Sheep, is about drawing power from past experiences— even traumas. “It’s about self-care,” says Louie.

“I’ve been thinking about the term baggage, and it’s all wrong,” says Louie. “When we think about our past experiences as something we can just put down, we can’t actually heal. The real pathway to becoming stronger and more confident versions of ourselves is to learn to live in symbiosis with our past experiences.”  

The Black Sheep’s body is composed of Louie’s signature wolf-mouth motif, which he uses here to symbolize negative past experiences. It is painted loosely to indicate the frequent movement of and the idea that our past experiences are living parts of us that we can’t simply set down as if they were “baggage.” 

By contrast, the Black Sheep’s face is composed of highly structured Coast Salish design elements to indicate the self-confidence drawn from the understanding that past experiences make us better equipped to manage whatever lies ahead.  A few understated sprouts indicate constant growth regardless of what we are experiencing. 

Specifications

• Giclée fine art print (unframed)
  
• Open edition
• 20" x 16" artwork size (w/ 1" border on the top and sides and a 2.5" border on the bottom: total print size including margins = 22" x 19.5".)
• Paper details?
• Professionally packaged and shipped flat
  
• Original work is mixed media: spray paint, acrylic, and wood stain on wool panel

A Note From the Artist

I'm Louie Gong (Nooksack) and I'm a Canadian artist based in Seattle. Most people know me as the founder of Eighth Generation, an iconic Native-owned brand that was the first to produce wool blankets. I'm very proud that my cousin Matt Gong and Uncle Pete are offering my prints to people throughout Canada.

I'm a self-taught artist who was raised by my grandparents in Ruskin B.C. before moving to the Nooksack tribal community in northwest Washington. I got my start by painting cultural art on shoes, but realized that creating one-of-a-kind pieces did not provide a sustainable pathway to success, so I began applying my artwork to accessibly-priced products. My unique style merges traditional Coast Salish art with influences from my mixed heritage and urban environment to create work that resonates widely across communities and cultures.