The Portland Metro area is filled with eye-catching, culturally significant public art. Many of these pieces were created by Native American artists who use their art to tell tribal stories and as reminders of Indigenous homelands. But for years, much of this art was hard to find, poorly marked, and often non-existent online. To remedy this, Price Schaffer set out to design a map and website to help the public locate the art, identify the artist, and learn about this fascinating part of Oregon history. Dr. Tracy Prince, a specialist in Oregon's Native American art and Schaffer's mother, worked together with him to identify and locate each art piece, co-creating the website portlandnativeart.org.

After two years of researching and photographing, Schaffer's map includes photos, descriptions, links, and wayfinding tools to show how to find this incredible art. Dr. Prince and Schaffer explain how to use their map for self-guided tours, including how to find art at Portland State University, parks, and along MAX lines. Featured artists include Lillian Pitt (Warm Springs), Rick Bartow (Wiyot), Greg Robinson (Chinook), Travis Stewart (Grand Ronde), James Lavadour (Umatilla), Toma Villa (Yakama), Wendy Red Star (Crow), and rock art from 10,000 years ago.

Price Schaffer is a UW Whiteley Scholar (2022 and 2024) and a Stanford University student. As a data science specialist, he is interested in how data is hidden, perhaps unknown to people, and can be mapped, quantified, digitized, and put online for everyone to access.

Dr. Prince is a research professor at Portland State University's Department of Curriculum and Instruction and a Whiteley Scholar (2022 and 2024). She uncovered forgotten Native American history while doing research for her book Portland's Goose Hollow and her co-authored books Portland's Slabtown and Notable Women of Portland. Dr. Prince is also the author of Culture Wars in British Literature. She has given hundreds of talks on Oregon's Native American art throughout the state.

Enjoy 15% off your hotel stay on History Pub nights! Show your ticket at check-in.

These events are open to everyone interested in Pacific Northwest history, and beyond! Often co-sponsored by local or state historical and civic organizations, we bring you experts, scholars, first-person experiencers, historians and documentaries expounding on topics from indigenous history to the birth of Portland, early explorers to hop growing, and on and on! It's like being back in the classroom - except this time you get to settle into comfortable seats and enjoy a drink or two with dinner while you listen and learn.

This event is eligible for a History Pub Stamp