Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts

Our Mission
Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts (CSIA) provides a creative conduit for educational, social, and economic opportunities for Native Americans through artistic development. 

About Us 
CSIA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 with a mission to support Native American artists and communities. CSIA was envisioned by artists, Phillip Cash Cash (Cayuse and Nez Perce), and James Lavadour (Walla Walla) as a place where Indigenous voices in the arts could flourish. Today, CSIA’s vision continues to inspire a world elevated by Indigenous creativity, providing an essential space for artistic and cultural growth. Over the past three decades, CSIA has evolved from a small initiative into a nationally recognized studio known for advancing Native voices in contemporary fine art printmaking. Its reputation as a leading printmaking center attracts artists from across the United States and beyond, fostering collaborations that place Indigenous perspectives at the forefront of contemporary art. Located at the foothills of Oregon’s Blue Mountains on the ancestral homelands of the Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Cayuse people (CTUIR), CSIA has become a beacon for both artistic innovation and cultural heritage.

CSIA’s Traditional Arts program is equally integral to its mission, preserving and promoting Indigenous practices such as beadwork, basketry, and garment-making. Through these programs, CSIA sustains a legacy of deep cultural knowledge, offering artists a unique space to explore both ancestral techniques and contemporary expressions.

CSIA’s commitment to Native perspectives in fine art has established it as an influential presence within the broader arts community, where tradition and innovation converge. This commitment, born from the vision of its founders and nurtured by decades of community support, ensures that Indigenous creativity remains a vibrant, relevant, and evolving cultural force.

(Photo of woven baskets by Joey Lavadour)