Arts
Read More ›
A Local Graphic Designer’s Art Celebrates Native American Heritage
A teen geek grows up to become a super graphic artist
This article originally appeared in the September 2015 issue of Seattle magazine.
Growing up on the Port Gamble S’Klallam Reservation, Jeffrey Veregge spent a lot of time on his own, drawing and reading pulp novels and comics. The stories that spoke to him were wildly uncool to his peers. “Being a geek in the ’80s was not fun,” Veregge says.
One can imagine the reception when, for example, he came to junior high wearing Vulcan ears. “And no, it wasn’t Halloween.” Decades passed before Veregge—now a 41-year-old husband, father and graphic designer—realized that he could love his cultural self and not feel like that awkward eighth-grade kid.
He began to create artwork translating iconic comics superheroes into a Coastal Salish visual language. Some find a larger message in this mash-up, but not Veregge. “There’s no hidden meaning in it; I’m not that kind of guy,” he says. “I want to have fun.”
These days, the Bremerton-based artist’s calendar is packed with shows and conventions, and he’s working on a bevy of dream-come-true projects. He’s met and befriended some of his childhood heroes, including Tim Sale, who worked on the Batman, Superman and Spider-Man franchises. Just as these artists inspired him, he hopes to inspire young people today—especially young Native Americans. “I want them to know they can celebrate their traditions and, at the same time, hold on to that sense of fun.”
Need to Know
1. This month an exclusive G.I. Joe cover by Veregge will be featured at Rose City Comic Con (Portland, Rose City Comic Con, 9/19–9/20; rosecitycomiccon.com).
2. Meet Veregge at PAX Prime (Seattle, 8/28–8/31; prime.paxsite.com), Yakima’s Central City Comic Con (Yakima’s first-ever comic con, 10/23–10/25; centralcitycomiccon.com) and Jet City Comic Show (Tacoma, 10/31–11/1; jetcitycomicshow.com).
3. Veregge is creating visuals for Promised Land, a documentary (currently in post-production) about the Duwamish and Chinook tribes’ effort to be granted sovereignty by the federal government.
4. Veregge hopes to officially reveal his own comic book, with a Native American protagonist who exceeds the “long hair and traditional garb” stereotype, next spring at Emerald City Comicon (4/7–4/10, 2016; emeraldcitycomicon.com)
Follow Us
SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction
Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way.
What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common? According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot. “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…
Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power
Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.
The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture. This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…
Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan
Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.
Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…
Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…