The sculptures and ceramics in this exhibition combine abstract concepts found in traditional Native art such as beadwork, ceramics and woodcarving with influences from Abstract Expressionism. Similar to Abstract Expressionist painters’ spontaneous working methods, sculptors like Doug Hyde (Nez Perce/Assiniboine/Chippewa) didn’t use pre-planned ideas, but let the material’s texture and color guide them, often adding found objects. Ceramic artists were inspired by the physical characteristics of the clay and experimented with spontaneous techniques such as slap building and dripping, free flowing glazes. Many artists preferred organic, sculptural forms and replaced function with form as the guiding principle.