Alaskan Native Female Shaman Mask  by Fred Fulmer Tlingit Artist

This Alaskan Native Female Shaman Mask was carved and painted by Fred Fulmer Tlingit Artist. Material: Alder wood, pigments, pounded inner cedar bark for hair.

Each Fred Fulmer Native Wood Sticker is made from wood product.

These beautiful Native wood stickers help bring a touch of Pacific Northwest Coast Art to water bottles, binders, and other accessories.

This Native design is available in acrylic key rings, ornaments, and magnets.

Fred's Inspiration:

I was doing demonstration carving in Juneau at the Sealaska Heritage Institute. There was a Mask Exhibit show that SHI was showing. They brought up old masks from their archives. I went into see these old pieces. As I entered the exhibit enjoying all the masks, I came to the back of the room and turned to my right. There in front of me was a glass cabinet with old masks hanging in protection. There was this one mask (size of a large grapefruit) that just pulled me into it. It was a spectacular piece. Collected in the 1800's from the Yakutat area. A Shaman mask. I studied it. The ears were carved beautifully- the whole mask was very well done. 

I decided then, that my next mask was going to have ears carved on it. My first mask to have ears. I got this piece of Alder wood, drew a center line and penciled a profile. As I was shaping the face, I noticed a small dot forming just below the bottom lip. This small dot grew as I lowered the chin area to shape the face. It was a knot that was below the surface of the wood that didn't appear until I was removing layers of wood. It was right on the C/L, I couldn't have placed it on center, right below the lip on the chin any better if I planned it. So I decided to incorporate it into my design. It represents a labret that the women would wear. Since the inspiration for this mask came from the Shaman mask at the exhibit, and the labret manifested itself through the carving process. I came up with the title "Female Shaman Mask".

-Fred Fulmer