Oregon and Washington Artists Design Covers for Commemorative Annual Meeting Notebooks

This year, the American Folklore Society is offering three commemorative notebooks to highlight the work of Oregon and Washington artists as part of the Annual Meeting in Portland. These Annual Meeting notebooks will replace a full print program and are designed to facilitate notetaking, doodling, planning, and networking throughout the meeting and beyond. Notebooks contain 120 pages of task bars, graph paper, lined pages, dotted pages, blank pages, and ads along with stunning front cover designs.

Registration for the Annual Meeting includes the option to choose one of the notebook designs that are available at the registration desk. Read about the artists and view their cover designs.

Mary Big Bull-Lewis

Mary Big Bull-Lewis is a member of the Colville Confederated Tribe in Washington State – from Moses, Entiat, and Wenatchi bands & a descendant of the Blackfoot Tribe in Brocket, Alberta, Canada. 

Her vision for the Wenatchi Wear brand was a modern spin on Native American art while keeping the traditions preserved and sharing important historic stories. She is an Indigenous entrepreneur, co-owning two small businesses in Wenatchee, WA. alongside her husband. R Digital Design, graphic design firm, and Wenatchi Wear, clothing brand. She is currently the founder & Chair of. The Indigenous Roots & Reparation Foundation (IRRF). 

Mary Big Bull-Lewis is a recipient of the 2023 Gerald L. Davis Presence Award and is attending the Annual Meeting in Portland. Stop by the Exhibitor’s Room to purchase Wenatchi Wear merchandise, say hello, and have your notebook signed.

About the design: This design was inspired by the homelands, a place that is currently referred to as Peshastin Pinnacles. The salmon leap towards the sky. In the early time Coyote had noticed that the people here were hungry because the salmon were being kept from going upriver by powerful sisters who selfishly dammed the Columbia near its mouth. The trickster Coyote distracted the sisters, and broke the dam, freeing the fish to travel upriver. The Salmon rose up and sang a joyful song — and there they are, forever sculpted in sandstone.

Steph Littlebird

Steph Littlebird is an artist, author, curator and enrolled member of Oregon’s Grand Ronde Confederated Tribes. Steph earned her B.F.A. in Painting and Printmaking from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in Portland, Oregon, she currently lives and works in Las Vegas. 

Littlebird is known for her vibrant graphic imagery that combines traditional styles of her Indigenous ancestors with contemporary illustration aesthetics. Her work often examines issues related to Native identity, cultural resilience, and responsible land stewardship. 

Her first children’s book My Powerful Hair was released in early 2023 in collaboration with author Carole Lindstrom and Abrams Books. Steph has been commissioned by brands like Lucasfilms, Yahoo, Luna Bar, and featured by media outlets like PBS News, NPR, and ArtNews. 

Learn more about Littlebird’s work at https://www.stephlittlebird.com/.

About the design: In the creation story of the Willamette Falls (Tumwata), Coyote and Meadowlark work together, moving down river with a rope woven from hazel. Near what is known now as Oregon City, they tied their hazel rope around the great river to create the beautiful falls. These falls are second only to Niagara Falls in their power, this area of the river remains a sacred place for regional Native tribes Including the Clackamas and Kalapuyans.

Eras

Eras, an aerosol artist with roots spanning across North America, is a nomad of the modern cultural landscape. Born in Toronto, raised amidst the rhythm of Atlanta, and a resident of the Pacific Northwest for 15 years, Eras has fused his diverse experiences into his street art. Since 2020, he’s embraced the nomadic lifestyle of a van-lifer, with the world as his muse, guiding him where commission work beckons.

A wanderer at heart, Eras draws inspiration from the landscapes and cultures he encounters during his travels. His art is a striking form of stylized photorealism, weaving together the threads of local cultures, indigenous flora and fauna. With over two decades of aerosol experience, Eras has woven vibrant murals into the tapestry of cities across the globe. From the iconic streets of Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York to the international hubs of Taipei and Amsterdam.

Eras’s commitment to art education has left a mark on the communities he’s touched. In 2010, he embarked on his journey as an educator at the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle. Here, he collaborated with at-risk teenagers, breathing life into dilapidated urban walls with murals that sprang from his students’ imaginations. Later, as a public arts instructor at the Northwest School, Eras instilled pride in the hearts of young minds by involving them in mural projects that would shape their neighborhoods. He played a pivotal role in birthing the Jackson Street Music History Project, an initiative that celebrates the multicultural musical heritage of Seattle’s Central District. His affiliation with Urban Artworks, a Seattle-based non-profit, underscores his commitment to community and youth outreach through the visual arts.In his most recent endeavor, Eras had the distinct honor of representing the United States as a cultural diplomat in the Netherlands with Next Level. This remarkable opportunity underscores Eras’s role as a cultural envoy, promoting cultural exchange and fostering international connections using the power of urban art.

Before fully embracing the world of mural painting, Eras lent his creativity to renowned names such as PBS Kids and the Cartoon Network. His mural journey also led to collaborations with industry giants like Amazon, BMW, Facebook, Mountain Dew, Nissan, Starbucks and Toyota.