2. 'FUNNY' PAINTINGS

In 1974-75, Cranmer created a series of 48 paintings. These paintings begin with traditional designs, within which animals and people can be identified. They later move into 'abstracts'; then re-form again into definable compositions that have the essential elements of Northwest Coast imagery, but are presented in a manner unique to Cranmer.

Untitled painting by Doug Cranmer

(Photo by B. McLennan, 1976, collection RBCM D23)

"In Doug's view, the 'abstract' paintings...carry no direct representation. With my western culture's expectation that everything must have a name and a reason for being, I worked on extracting their deeper meaning from Doug, but to no avail. To him, they were and remain a bunch of 'funny paintings' that he did, each in two or a few more days of work."

 

Bill McLennan, "Curatorial Premise"

Doug Cranmer's Paintings

 

"I was doing them differently for the sake of being different. I was doing things in Northwest Coast-type design elements that didn't look like a bird, a fish, an animal, a man or a woman. It worked for a while, but then I noticed that they [the paintings] were starting to look like something again."

 

Doug Cranmer, 1994

Interview with Rosa Ho

 

"After the book [Analysis of Form, Bill Holm] came out, all of a sudden there was a right and a wrong way of doing things. We never had that before."

 

"The book has served its purpose in explaining Indian designs and elements, but a lot of people followed the book to the letter: as a result, their work has come out all looking the same."

 

Doug Cranmer, 1994

Interview with Rosa Ho

 

Man Frog Legend painting by Doug Cranmer

(Photo by B. McLennan, 1976, collection Peggy and Ken Martin D25)

Man Frog Legend

This painting (Man Frog Legend) was published as a limited edition silk-screen print in 1978.

"The legend concerns a hunter faced with hard times. He traps, kills and skins a large frog that attacked him. The hunter begins wearing the frog's skin, and in doing so, is able to catch abundant food to feed his family. Every day it becomes harder to remove the skin, until finally he knows he will not be able to return, but his family will continue to be fed. This print depicts the last night the hunter is able to remove his frog skin."

 

Doug Cranmer, 1978

Description presented with silk-screen print.

Doug Cranmer's Paintings Exhibition, 1994.

Killer Whales painting by Doug Cranmer

(Photo by B. McLennan, 1976, collection RBCM 16326)