Betty Pasco

Betty Pasco is a Suquamish tribal elder and highly accomplished Salish weaver, traditional basket maker, graphic artist, clothing designer, and illustrator. After raising five children, her journey as an artist got a boost when at age 60, with a newly earned GED, she enrolled at Santa Fe’s Institute of American Indian Arts where she earned an Associate Degree in Museum Studies and gained professional experience staging exhibits for the Institute. Her time in Santa Fe was a period of rebirth for her and ignited her desire to pursue art in earnest. Betty has dedicated her creative life to learning the traditional art of her people. Her art is created to share a message, to honor and respect a time in history and culture, to emit emotion with color and design. Her direction is always evolving. She enjoys working with a variety of materials and challenging herself with complex designs. Of all her life’s accomplishments, Betty is most proud of her work to preserve the arts and culture of her ancestors through mentoring others, especially Native girls. If there is a legacy in the work she has done for future generations, Betty hopes it is of Connecting Spirits.