Mesmerizing OWL MASK, over 4 ft, by Master Artist Tom Hunt - SOLD

• Nation: Kwakwaka' wakw art, Kwakiutl art, native artists Vancouver Island
• Artist: Hunt, Tom D. (Watawidi)
• Type: Mask

THIS MASK HAS BEEN SOLD

Absolutely incredible Master carving by the Kwakiulth First Nation Artist Tommy Hunt Jr.

This is a great example of true Indigenous Art, VERY rich in expression, elegant, vibrant and simply beautiful! Very clean carving! Decorated with the traditional cedar, powerfull painting in black, gray and white, mesmerizing expression.

OWL MASK

Measurements: 49" / 4.1 ft. wide, total height: 29", face itself: 16" x 13" (125 x 74, face is 41 x 33 cm)

Meaning: The Owl is associated with the souls of the ancestors and are viewed with high respect. They symbolize wisdom, intuition and prophecies and sacred knowledge.  

Legend: Owls are sometimes seen as the bogeyman. The story goes that children have to be kept inside at night and are told not to cry too much because otherwise the owl may carry them away. Also, the bony circles around an owl's eyes are said to be made up by ghosts. Sometimes owls are said to carry messages from ancestors or deliver supernatural warnings to people. On the Northwest Coast, the owl is often used as a totem pole crest. It's also very often part of dances among the tribal dance traditions.

Photos of This Piece

About This Artist

Tom D. Hunt, also called Watawidi, is the son of Hereditary Chief George Hunt and May Hunt. Tom D. Hunt is a member of the Kwakiutl, or Kwakwaka’wakw Nation, born in 1964. Tom began apprenticing in Kwakiutl art with his father at the age of...Artist bio and other available works »