Biography
Shirod Younker is a Citizen of the Coquille Indian Tribe and is of Miluk, Umpqua, and Filipino descent. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Oregon State University. He has over 30-years of experience as an Artist and Educator, and nearly 15-years as a Business Owner. Shirod is an artist and educator who has committed to perpetuating the artwork of his people, and supporting others to do the same. Shirod grew up canoeing, crabbing, clamming, and fishing the waters of the South Slough in Coos Bay, Oregon, where his tribes old village used to be. For Shirod, his work with art is also deeply intertwined with community engagement and education.
Artist
Shirod is a sculptor, carver, and arts instructor. He works to facilitate the perpetuation of indigenous aesthetic sensibilities in a contemporary context. His art practice hopes to recognize, foster and study those values from which art they were inspired by. Further, much of Shirod’s art is done in the spirit of collaboration. His pieces can be seen or viewed at various locations such as: the Nasomah Memorial in Bandon, Oregon; The Mill Hotel and Casino; The City of Portland Building, Oregon Historical Society Museum; Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts; Longhouse Education and Cultural Center; and in a cultural arts collection in New Zealand. Shirod is also an artist with the Inspired Natives Program at Eighth Generation Wool Blankets.
Art Instructor
For the past 18-years, Shirod has managed the Journeys in Creativity: Explorations in Native American Art Program previously at the Oregon College of Art and Craft, now at the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. The Journeys Program is an Indigenous Teen residency program that promotes and perpetuates indigenous arts in Native communities and is a college pathway program for Native Youth.
Natural Resource Educator
Shirod is also the Co-Director of the Changing Currents: Youth Tribal Water Summit that is a residency and virtual program for Native American student leaders. Changing Currents is an initiative to foster deeper, collective dialogue about water protection & its importance to tribal communities. The Youth Tribal Water Summit is a leadership development and education program designed for students ages 15-19 years of age in high school or early-college.
Shirod resides in Portland and Warm Springs, Oregon with his wife and two dogs.
Contact
To learn more about the art, the work, to arrange a meeting, discuss a organizing a workshop or panel, learn more about education program offerings, exhibits, or to purchase art and products…