A Tlingit artist is using a downtown Blaine car wash as a blank canvas to share the story of overcoming personal challenges and spread a message of hope.
Kaa Shaayí Kéet’aakw, of Ferndale, is painting the mural titled, “Righteous IndigeNation” at Kevin’s Car Wash, 388 Martin Street. This is Kéet’aakw’s second mural in Blaine, having first decorated the back of the Blaine Arts Council’s gallery last fall. His work can be seen throughout Washington state, including “Ancestral Spirit” in Ferndale and “Fluke’s Vision” in Redmond.
In 2024, Kéet’aakw graduated from Northwest Indian College, earning a bachelor’s degree in Native studies leadership with an emphasis on Northwest coast design. He specializes in formline art, an art style of the Tlingit and other Northwest Coast Indigenous groups that is characterized by U forms and S shapes known as ovoids.
Kéet’aakw’s newest mural is inspired by his life story: When his family moved from Ketchikan, Alaska to Ferndale, Kéet’aakw felt disconnected from his Indigenous roots. In 2020, he began studying formline art and deepened his understanding of Tlingit culture through his education at Northwest Indian College. After graduating, Kéet’aakw turned to painting to deal with the uncertainty and frustration surrounding his next steps.
“We all have moments where we feel that righteous indignation – that sense of ‘this isn’t fair’ or ‘this isn’t right,’” Kéet’aakw wrote in an email to The Northern Light. “Maybe it’s about family circumstances, economic challenges, health struggles or feeling like you don’t quite fit in somewhere. That’s the universal part of this piece.”
On both sides of the mural, Kéet’aakw is installing and painting Naaxiin panels, a traditional Chilkat blanket design. The spirit wraps around a grimacing face to symbolize the protective embrace of ancestral spirits during difficult times.
In the mural, the left eye looks as though it’s winking – Kéet’aakw’s signature piece that reflects the intersection of traditional knowledge and contemporary vision.
When life’s struggles ebb and flow, Kéet’aakw said the ancestral spirits are always there to guide and protect.
“This publicly displayed mural connects with me very deeply, and I feel the story will connect with so much of the community,” he said. “After years of studying this art form, I feel like this piece really shows off my development in the art style.”
The 19-by-26-foot mural is expected to be complete by late August, weather permitting. Kéet’aakw isn’t sure what his next piece will be once he finishes, but said he’s open to commissions.
Although the warmer months are coming to an end, which marks the end of outdoor mural season, Kéet’aakw isn’t slowing down. He’s brainstorming more ways to bring art to Whatcom County, including potentially hosting a paint-and-sip.
“Through art, through community, through perseverance, we can find our way through difficult times,” Kéet’aakw said.
