Every fall, the Oregon architectural and building community comes together to celebrate the work and legacy of some of our most impactful contributors. This year, AFO is excited to celebrate Lillian Pitt who has helped shape our state through her work as an artist, mentor, and advocate. Lillian was born on the Warm Springs Reservation and is of Warm Springs, Wasco, and Yakima descent.

Lillian’s art has been at the heart of numerous building projects across the state and around the world. Many structures around the Pacific Northwest have been elevated by Lillian’s work. With the Confluence project, she designed the Welcome Gate for the Vancouver Land Bridge; her art also adorns Portland Tri-Met stations, the Native American Student Center at Portland State University, as well as sites in Sapporo, Japan.

Telling the story of her ancestors through her art – whether large-scale public art installations or smaller pieces of intricately designed jewelry – Lillian is an artist whose work is all around us. But her impact is not limited to the pieces she has produced. Lillian is a deeply committed mentor to numerous Indigenous artists from across the Pacific Northwest. By encouraging and cultivating the next generation of Native American artists, Lillian is ensuring that the Indigenous story of Oregon is remembered and honored.

Art is an essential part of our built environment. From public installations and sculptures to masks or jewelry, Lillian works at every level of scale. We are inspired by her ethic to consider how we might make an impact at every scale and medium we work with.