BY BRITTANYANA PIERRO
For Tim Williamson, drawing is a way to channel different emotions and re-connect to his heritage.
Color is the only guide lines he uses to create his pieces, and everything else flows freely.
“You can see that I’m using red, white black and yellow. Those are the colors of the medicine wheel. Sticking to that main color base of the medicine wheel, keeps me connected to my culture and the teachings that i had behind it.” Williamson said.
The medicine wheels is a Pan-Indigenous symbol used in both South and North America. Different regions have different specific meanings of each shape and color of the wheel, but it is universally known to be used for healing, guidance and health. Williamson is part Kamache, of Texas and he is also part Alaska Native.
Williamson is taking the class Teachings of the Tree People, based in the long house. The class focuses on the traditions and history of the Squaxxin and Salish people, who are the original residents of the South Puget Sound regions. Orcas are a sacred and important part of Salish culture. In one of his recent pieces, Williamson depicted a scene of two Orcas swimming at sunset, surrounding an Otter.
“[When I drew] those whales, during that time, I guess I was seeking medicine. [I was seeking] the teachings and spiritually connected to, rooted to this area, where Orcas are predominantly from. I wasn’t trying to draw it, at first, it just kinda came out.”
Williamson’s experience with life, art and education is often based finding ways to connect to his ancestry, using the tools being given to him. His education and connection to the Salish people have been a source of ancestral reconnection for Williamson.
“As far as [my knowledge of ] the Texas Kamache go, that’s my own personal research. I’ve lived here my whole life, so like a lot of the teachings and stuff and the culture that I have and whatnot are from the people of this area. So even though my tribe on my Dad’s side is from Texas, I’m not [as] knowledgeable [about them]. I haven’t had real life experience with them as much as I have here.”
Williamson has evolved drawing into a form of therapy for himself. Spending the majority of his life time in the Seattle foster system, and then the Seattle jail system, drawing was often the only outlet he could use to communicate with himself and those around him.
“I did alot of art in jail. It was really aggressive. Really weird faces, that were really graphic and suggestive. Just angry shit. Pretty dark things.” Williamson said “It helped me not feel as angry. Like once I finished working on something for like four or five hours, I felt better afterwards.”
The art Williamson created in prison soon became a gallery of past emotions and experiences. “I would always sign it and date it. Based on that like, based on the day and that year I can recall where I was, and what was going on that day, and how i was feeling when I made that piece.”
When he got out, Williamson gave all of his art away, hoping to let those feelings of anger and pain go.
Gateways, led by Chico Herbison, worked with Williamson while he was in jail, and he credits the program as the start of his journey to Evergreen.
“If it wasn’t for that program I would’ve never knew what college was. I would’ve never even thought about college. It would’ve never even been brought to my attention that I can just go here and It’ll get paid for.” Williamson said.
“Just using the system, you know. I’m not out there like homeless on the street, trying to fucking find a job. I can at least for now have a roof over my head. And get educated further. That opens up the doors to internships and jobs and everything.”
Creating a full circle of growth, Williamson plans on working with Gateways in the near future. He’ll be going back to same detention center he was placed at, in hopes of helping kids like him find a way out of the system.
“I feel a sense of calmness when I do my art: Peacefulness. I feel connected to the teachings and culture that I do have, that I am aware of. It’s how I can hang on and honor it. I’m still learning about my culture, I’m still connecting with it. But how do I hang onto what I already have? How do I grasp it, how do I express it, how do I take pride in it? [Art] is how I do it.”
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