Blown—And Blowing—Away

Dan Friday’s artwork almost defies description. A master glass blower, it celebrates and honors his heritage as a member of the Lummi Nation located near Bellingham, Washington, through vibrantly colorful pieces that incorporate stories and meanings that aren’t readily understood by non-Native Americans. That being said, Friday’s art is stunningly beautiful.

To say that Friday’s road to success as an artist was a rocky one would be a gross understatement but, once he found his calling, that road smoothed out and has taken him to great heights and to several foreign countries. That includes a three-week visit to New Zealand in January, where he took part in The Whiti, an Indigenous exchange program sponsored by Arts New Zealand, which supports the development of Māori artists.

“This was my second time there,” Friday says, adding that he conducted a workshop on stone carving and helped other participants blow glass, some of them for the first time.

Read the full article in the May/June 2026 issue.