Take a deep breath with me.
That’s one of the first things Timothy White Eagle said to me, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the Great Hall. We were writing a grant together and dreaming about what he’d create at Town Hall.
It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Timothy’s passing. Seattle has lost a friend, a connector, an artist, a performer, and an imaginer. Timothy was a visionary, and he meant so much to so many. Here at Town Hall, we were honored to be part of his artistic story, and we will always be grateful that he thought of Town Hall as one of his artistic homes.
Hatlo, Timothy’s dear friend and longtime collaborator, recently wrote to the community of people who had made, supported, and uplifted Timothy’s work over the years: “You have been our friends, creative kindreds, allies and champions.”
In reflecting on Timothy’s work and this moment, Hatlo also returned to something at the heart of so much of what Timothy created: the need for all of us “to breathe together and hold onto each other to make it through.”
Timothy has been a cornerstone of Seattle’s arts community for many years. He created work for venues across the city, including recently at On the Boards with Indian School, and was a champion for local creators across the region.
Timothy was also a former Town Hall Artist-in-Residence, joining us in spring 2021. During his residency, his work explored Native American, Pagan, and earth-based spiritual practices, including ideas about death, ancestry, and ritual. He also created Dead House, a six-hour site-specific performance and installation honoring ancestors.
In his final months, Timothy had been working with us on a new performance scheduled to take place at Town Hall this week, which makes this loss feel especially close.
A grief gathering and celebration of Timothy’s life is being planned for the evening of Thursday, September 17, in the Great Hall — on what would have been the closing performance of Timothy White Eagle Has No Shame. If you have a connection to Timothy or his community, I hope you’ll join us. More details will be shared soon, and people are invited to bring an electric votive candle.
Timothy was such a singular artist and presence, and Seattle was lucky to have him. His family and community shared this remembrance on Instagram.
In honor of Timothy’s artistic impact and the deep love surrounding him, our friends at On the Boards have made the films of Revival and Timothy White Eagle in Space! free to stream for the next year.
Our hearts are with Timothy White Eagle’s community as we grieve his loss and honor his life. To support Timothy’s husband, Kenny, you can contribute to the community GoFundMe.
May we carry Timothy’s vision forward together,
Kate Nagle-Caraluzzo, Executive Director
