Creator: Studio A / United States Postal Service
Client: United States Postal Service
Merging traditional artwork with modern design touches, this stamp represents a story of great significance to the Indigenous people of the northern Northwest Coast. Inspired by the traditional story of Raven setting free the sun, the moon, and the stars, Tlingit/Athabascan artist depicts Raven just as he escapes from his human family and begins to transform back into his bird form. A five-fingered hand connected to Raven suggests the human form he is leaving behind. To create the stamp art, the artist used formline, the traditional design style of the Indigenous people of the northern Northwest Coast. Formline relies on a stylized vocabulary of ovoids and related shapes, continuous lines of varying thicknesses, and ambiguous, even abstract patterns that often suggest both human and animal features to convey a sense of transformation and the oneness of all life. The artist sketched his design with a pencil before completing the image digitally. He imagined Raven hastily transforming and trying to grab as many stars and celestial objects as he could. Some stars and feathers are tucked in his hands or beak during this frantic moment. Bright stars were illuminated with gold foil during printing for dramatic effect.
Additional Credits
Antonio Alcala, Art Director
Antonio Alcala, Designer
Rico Worl, Artist