Featured Tsimshian Witchy Woman Mask Artist

Do some artists switch their method of signing as they become more experienced? (From carving to signing in pencil?)

 

rarely if ever.........has your siggy changed significantly ??

A signature might vary over time.....initials..or carved siggys ...almost never do.

 

Mine actually has changed. Both my artist one and personal.

 

well , i can say your mask is not Beau's .....

even if signatures do change....which IMO...is unusual for NWC artists....

 

Yes, that's too bad. His style was so similar. :-( I feel lucky to have been told of you. You are a wealth of knowledge.

 

Beau was a master carver , who carved in several tribal styles.....depending upon the image he was called upon to create...

 

This mask is not Beau Dick's work, or any of the Scow family, in my opinion. The Scow family has a very consistent use of color and forms, and I don't see any of those characteristics here; and the signature is not one I find on any of the Scow masks I have or have seen. The second one below is by Rupert Scow, and does bear some resemblance to OPs, so it is certainly worth asking. The third one below would be more typical Scow family work.Compare:


I do have a lovely story about Judy Hill though. She and I were competing bidders on a box lot at a live auction; I was very interested because it contained a spoon carved by an artist I had a great interest in, though it was not a particularly valuable spoon. She outbid me, however; and after the auction she came to me and said "I know you were interested in that spoon, but that's not the item I cared about in that lot."
She handed me the spoon, and refused any payment.

 

PS on Beau Dick: he also was an incredibly eloquent spokesperson for his people; there is a good documentary available about his work, which also contains some of his words: "Beau Dick -Maker of Monsters" and there are some clips or trailers on YouTube, such as Maker of Monsters.
"Let us set an example for the rest of the world..."

 

So Rupert Scow responded and said it's not one of his, and since it has "Tsimshian" carved into it but is in the Kwakwakawakw style, then the Tsimshian artist must have been taught ba a Kwakwakawakw artist. Does this happen to ring any bells for anyone?

 

No, sorry; but there are and have been dozens of Tsimshian artists who studied with or apprenticed to Kwakwaka'wakw carvers; as well as, unfortunately, non-natives who have claimed to be Tsimshian. And of course, Tsimshian carvers who might have made a mask in a Kwakwaka'wakw style without any formal apprenticeship.
I continue to believe however that this is native work, especially considering that it came from Hill's. I could note that Hill's sold works from a very large variety of artists, from the famous to those who were so unknown that they didn't bother to sign at all.
If I come across an item with that signature and solid attribution I'll let you know.