A remarkable collection of Indigenous artworks by Cal Poly Humboldt alumni and staff members has taken center stage at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, showcasing the profound cultural impact of Northern California's Native artists. The exhibition, titled "Rooted in Place: California Native Art," features an impressive array of works including a delicate glass-beaded folding chair by Hupa artist Brittany Britton and powerful paintings by the late Karuk artist Brian D. Tripp, highlighting the enduring legacy of Native American artistic expression.

Britton, who serves as director of the Reese Bullen and Goudini Gallery and graduated with a degree in Art in 2012, created a striking folding chair adorned with intricate hand-beaded straps that shimmer under the museum lights. Her piece, both playful and profound, challenges viewers to contemplate questions of identity, heritage, and the meaning of carrying tradition forward in contemporary life. "It's astounding to be part of this show," Britton said. "As director of the Goudini, I don't normally exhibit my own work. So for me, this is rewarding—I get to be alongside the heavy hitters of our region, people like Brian Tripp and Lyn Risling. I'm grateful to be included."

The exhibition represents the inaugural display in the newly reinstalled Arts of Indigenous America galleries at the de Young Museum, exploring the theme of "Relationship to Place" through the lens of California's Indigenous communities. The show places special emphasis on the Hupa, Karuk, Tolowa, Wiyot, and Yurok peoples of northwestern California, presenting their artistic traditions alongside contemporary interpretations that bridge ceremonial practices with modern artistic expression.

Britton is joined by an impressive roster of Cal Poly Humboldt-connected artists whose works fill the gallery spaces. Robert Benson, a leading figure in northwestern California's art community, has dedicated more than 30 years to teaching and curating Native art, maintaining close ties with Cal Poly Humboldt throughout his career. As a longtime College of the Redwoods professor, his diverse body of work spans plein air landscapes, alder-bark dye paintings, and carved sculptures inspired by Native ceremonial designs, all reflecting his deep connection to the natural world.

George Blake, a celebrated Hupa-Yurok artist who was awarded an honorary doctorate from Cal Poly Humboldt, brings his multifaceted artistic vision to the exhibition. His diverse portfolio includes sculpture, jewelry, regalia, and contemporary art pieces that demonstrate the versatility of Indigenous artistic expression. Notably, Blake possesses the rare traditional skills necessary for building dugout canoes, one of which is permanently displayed in the university's library as a testament to these enduring cultural practices.

The late Brian D. Tripp, a Karuk painter, poet, and activist who graduated with an Art degree in 1986, is represented through his striking works that seamlessly combine traditional regalia motifs with powerful commentary on Indigenous rights. His paintings resonate with the same activist spirit he carried into galleries and ceremonies during his transformative years at Humboldt, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire contemporary Native artists.

Among the contemporary artists featured is Shoshoni Gensaw-Hostler, who earned both her Psychology degree in 2018 and Master's in Psychology in 2020. As a Yurok regalia maker and designer, she created a commissioned dentalium-shell cape specifically for the exhibition—a shimmering garment that honors ancestral artistry while asserting Native resilience in the present day. Her innovative work gained national attention earlier this year when it was featured in New York Fashion Week, demonstrating the growing recognition of Indigenous fashion and design.

Lyn Risling, who earned her Master's degree in Social Science: Environment & Community in 1997, contributes vibrant paintings that weave together stories, ceremonies, and visions of renewal. Her artwork reflects her lifelong commitment to cultural revitalization, effectively blending artistic expression with activist principles to create pieces that speak to both traditional values and contemporary challenges facing Indigenous communities.

Behind the scenes, scholar and curator Pimm Tripp-Allen, who graduated in 2001 with a degree in Native American Studies, played a crucial role in shaping the exhibition itself. As a Karuk/Yurok expert, he helped contextualize significant pieces like the extraordinary baskets created by master weaver Elizabeth Hickox, ensuring that each artwork was presented with appropriate cultural understanding and respect. His husband, artist and wood carver Alme Allen, also contributed works to the exhibition and co-advised the curatorial process.

Lena R. Bommelyn, a 1976 Social Work graduate, brings contemporary flair to regalia-inspired adornment through her work as a Tolowa jeweler and fashion designer. Her artistic journey began while learning beadwork at her mother's side, and she has since developed a distinctive style that honors traditional techniques while embracing modern aesthetic sensibilities.

For Britton, who first experimented with unconventional art projects during her time as a Humboldt student, seeing her work and other Native artists' creations displayed at the prestigious de Young Museum feels both surreal and deeply affirming. "We have such a strong Native art community here in Humboldt County," she explained. "Most of the artists in this show have either exhibited at Goudini, studied here, or taught here. That's powerful—to see our community represented on such a big stage."

This artistic community spans multiple generations, with deep roots in the region's cultural landscape. Britton's beaded chair, titled "What She Carried/what I brought," specifically honors her great-grandmother, Winnifred George, a respected Hupa medicine woman known for bringing a folding chair to ceremonies. Through a combination of humor and reverence, Britton reimagines this practical object as a vessel of memory and cultural continuation, demonstrating how contemporary artists can honor ancestral practices while creating new forms of expression.

Visitors to "Rooted in Place" encounter Britton's meaningful piece alongside an impressive array of other works, including monumental paintings that command attention, regalia that shimmer with shell and feather details, and baskets whose intricate designs rival the boldest modernist art movements. Together, these diverse pieces remind viewers that Native art exists as both timeless tradition and contemporary innovation, remaining rooted in specific places while continuously adapting to new circumstances and artistic possibilities.

The Goudini Gallery played a vital practical role in bringing "Rooted in Place" to fruition, serving as a crucial intermediary between the artists and the museum. Because many of the featured artists live in remote communities throughout Humboldt County, the logistics of safely transporting their precious works to San Francisco required careful coordination and cultural sensitivity. Britton and her dedicated team at Goudini helped coordinate shipping arrangements for several pieces, including works by Britton herself, Blake, Tripp, Gensaw-Hostler, and Risling, while also lending the de Young Museum a significant necklace created by Tripp from the respected Risling and Julian Lang Collection.

"Can you imagine a professional art shipper trying to find someone's house up in Hoopa or Orleans?" Britton says with a laugh, highlighting the unique challenges of working with rural Indigenous communities. "Out here, we don't have street numbers—it's more like, turn left at the white house, and it's the one with the rocks in front. People trusted us to coordinate, and that was important."

This collaboration underscores the Goudini Gallery's unique and invaluable position within the California State University system as the only Native-focused university gallery in the network. The gallery maintains a steadfast dedication to the respectful handling of Native objects and regalia, providing students with crucial training in cultural sensitivity and appropriate protocols. Students learn about the deep significance of certain objects, including those that may only be touched by specific family members or after particular ceremonies have been performed, along with numerous other cultural considerations that mainstream museums often overlook.

The university's Museum & Gallery Practices Certificate Program, under the expert leadership of Art & Film Professor Berit Potter, not only trains students in standard museum practices but also models how cultural institutions can build genuine trust with Native communities. This approach represents a significant departure from historical museum practices that often extracted Indigenous artifacts without proper consultation or ongoing community involvement.

As Humboldt artists, scholars, and alumni stand prominently at the center of this historic exhibition, one powerful message emerges clearly: Native art represents a living, breathing force that continues to be carried forward by generations of artists who remain deeply connected to their ancestral homelands. These contemporary artists demonstrate that Indigenous artistic traditions are not relics of the past but dynamic practices that continue to evolve while maintaining their cultural integrity and spiritual significance.

"Rooted in Place: California Native Art" is currently on display at the de Young Museum in San Francisco and will remain open through December 2026, giving visitors an extended opportunity to experience this groundbreaking exhibition. The museum hosted a special public opening celebration on September 13, featuring a full day of free admission from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., allowing the broader community to experience these remarkable works without financial barriers. For those unable to travel to San Francisco, the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka is simultaneously hosting an exhibition of Brian Tripp's art through September 21, ensuring that local communities can also celebrate these important artistic contributions.