New Octopus

All of the masks in this post are my original designs, inspired by Yupik masks. They are all made of cottonwood bark, which I found as driftwood on the beach.

Here is a photo of the new octopus mask that I recently completed. Unlike the first piece, this one has beads inlaid in the arms, and glass bead eyes.



Here is 'Sol' - she is more of a doll than a mask. She has parrot feathers, copper wire, and glass beads for her hair.



This is 'Magic Woman Three'. She was inspired by the male shaman figures from traditional Yupik masks. In my culture, a shaman could be male or female. She has raffia hair, and glass beads for eyes. She also bears the traditional chin tattoos of Yupik women. Her innards are visible to show the duality of being a Shaman represented. She could be both in the physical world and the Spirit world at the same time. A shaman could travel to the animal spirit world as well, and communicate with her 'spirit-helper' animals, or other spirits. Other depictions of shamans in Yupik art show them with animal and human features, such as bird wings or caribou legs, and with their innards revealed.