Chief Copper Killer Whale Sun Mask by Rupert Jeffrey - SOLD

SOLD

• Nation: Gitxsan art, native American art, Indigenous native artists
• Artist: Jeffrey, Rupert
• Type: Mask

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Very powerful piece of art – guaranteed authentic….from start to finish, NO machines used.. superp craftsmenship throughout!

Please have a look at ALL the images - I'm encluding images from the start, when Rupert received the wood log...

Copper Killer Whale Chief SUN MASK, designed, hand carved, hand painted and signed by Gitxsan master artist Rupert Jeffrey.

Every piece Rupert is carving does have a story. Please have a look at the copper on this piece, representing the whale's tail on the chin and dorsal fin on the forehead with the nose stout on the left site. The inlaid Abalone shells on each ray represent that he is a high ranking prince coming to shore. Rupert mentioned that a Killer whale pod visited him while he was carving on the beach which he saw as a blessing - so carving this piece was very special for him.

The copper is double folded, fastened with copper wire. Just think about how much time he spent on this…. Due to the age of this cedar log, it was impossible to carve the rays since the wood is just to hard, Rupert broke the tops of his knives and decided to keep it clean and add a powerful and vibrant red - perfect!!!

Measurements: 50" x 46", Chief's face is 18" x 14 1/2"

In the artists words: “Split traditional, following the natural fractures (see images)

The beautiful silver gray with purple shine of the wood means this log is truly old. Rare, rare and seeing this process of aging cedar its perfect for my sun mask. The color turns grey from being in water and the reflection over time changed the color tone. This wood was probably in water for well over 100 years and it’s going to finish its’ life as a beautiful sun. I am thankful as a carver to get to carve old growth. Through my years as an artist I have never heard of, nor seen a near petroglyph cedar that has been in the water for centuries since color can prove the transforming grain from brown to grey. The color changing has electrolysis’s of the sun rays beaming into water which turns the cedar grey permanent. I folded copper to get the rich chief coming out of the sea. Dowels are setting in nicely. Very rich looking, can see he is a chief of chiefs, speaker of all killer whale clans of the Skeena. I would say this is the only original sun mask ever carved out of such old cedar, so this mask is mystical"

Note: USD amounts estimated based on Bank of Canada average exchange rate, updated weekly, Invoice in CAD, overseas shipping costs ($185 CAD) added at check-out.

We guarantee the authenticity of every piece of art sold through our Gallery !!! We do not offer reproductions, imported copies, cheap mass-produced, machine made or so called native-inspired/native-style knock-off pieces.

Photos of This Piece

About This Artist

Rupert Jeffrey is a member of the Gitskan First Nation, originating from the Skeena River area, a culture considered to be part of the civilization of the Pacific Northwest Coast although it lies in the interior rather than on the coast. The...Artist bio and other available works »