Alaskan Native Artist

Phillip John "Aarnaquq" Charette

Alaska Native Art, Yup'ik Masks &

Large Sculpture

                 Yupikmask.com accepts these forms of payment. All artwork by Alaskan Native Artist, Phillip John Charette that has not already been sold or is on display at other galleries is for sale on this online web site. Artwork is available directly from the artist through this online web site, at Native American Art Markets, and through work he has available in his studio. Phillip's  studio is located in Beautiful Eastern Oregon in Baker City, Oregon, 97814. Custom Orders are definitely welcome. To make a special order contact me at my business  541 . 519 . 2635.

GALLERY

ALASKAN NATIVE NORTH WIND MASKS

On Traveling Exhibition at the Museum of Art and Design Sept. 2005- Jan. 2006, Institute of American Indian Arts March - April 2006, Eiteljorg Museum May - August 2006, Naples Museum of Art October 2006 - Jan. 2007, Philbrook Museum of Art Jan. - April 2007, Anchorage Museum of History and Art May - September 2007, Weisman Art Museum October 2007 - January 2008, Tuscon Museum of Art February 8 - May 2008 (Extended).   Changing Hands Exhibit    

 

AVAILABLE through Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John "Aarnaquq" Charette.

Digital Image by James Clark @ the Stonington Gallery in Seattle, Washington

These masks were traditionally used to welcome and celebrate the onset of winter and winter activities.

MATERIALS: These complex composite masks are made with 12 pieces of pottery, 126 pieces of porcelain, 35 wild turkey feathers, 71 handmade red glass beads (made by the artist), and hand bent wood frames of red oak. Being winter wind masks, they are designed to float and have custom hangars. Custom built shipping crates are included.

MEANING: These masks would be appropriate for anyone who understands and lives by harvesting the wind and its power.

DIMENSIONS:

Mask 1/2 - 43" height  X 31"width   X 19" depth

Mask 2/2 - 43" height  X 31"width   X 19" depth

Price: $30,000.00 Pair

Includes museum quality shipping crates and custom mounting brackets. Currently undergoing additional refinements.

 

Publication - Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation 2: Contemporary Native North American Art from the West, Northwest and Pacific, David Revere McFadden. & Ellen Napiura Taubman, Museum of Art and Design, Phillip Charette - page 146, Library of Congress Control Number: 2005932664, ISBN 1-890385-11-5.

Alaskan Native "Mecigiuq"

"It became more visible; he became able to see better"

Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette's large "Mecigiuq" mask. This piece is modified and enhanced with a few finishing touches. It is a fully functional dance mask and is designed to be hung from a ceiling at face level. Image courtesy of Stonington Gallery.

   Currently on Display at

the Washington State History Museum

"Mecigiuq" Functional Hanging Dance Mask

DIMENSIONS: currently 5 feet high X 3 feet wide X 10 ' deep. Please not that additional changes were made after this photo was taken.

DATE COMPLETED: Details and improvements currently being added. The piece will be ready by April 2008. This piece has been in progress for almost 2 years.

MATERIALS: Carved redwood (front side finish carved with torch and wire brush). Bronze Yua on back of mask. Copper wire surrounds bronze mask in the shape of parka ruff, porcelain teeth, raku, wild turkey feathers, dentalium shell, pearls, glass beads, oak, walrus ivory, caribou antler bite plate, and acrylic paints.

MEANING: Mecigiuq means "It became more visible; he became more able to see. Another challenge piece and wood gifted by fellow artist & friend  Rick Bartow. This mask has many deep meanings and represents a blind person who has the gift and openess to see in many other ways. The gifts must be used well or they will comsume the person with problems caused.  By making a deeper connection to the other senses, a blind person can see better - in more ways - then the average person. There are 7 pairs of spirit eyes moving upward on this piece represenging other senses or other ways of seeing.

PRICE: $18,000.00

ALASKAN NATIVE "SEAL GUARDIANS"

DANCE STICK

ALASKAN NATIVE "SEAL GUARDIANS" DANCE STICK

Traditional dance stick that tells my grandfathers story.

DIMENSIONS:

41”w X 7' 7" h X 11”d

DATE COMPLETED: April 2008

MATERIALS: Birch, driftwood, red oak, Canary wood, and walnut wood; raku, low fire, and porcelain clays; home made raku glazes; fused glass; glass beads, dentalium shell, shell beads, deer horn, rawhide, brass nails and brass wire; ivory; wild turkey feathers; authentic fish net floats from Apa's fish camp; and acrylic paints. Includes metal wall hanger for vertical display and granite base for horizontal display.

TECHNIQUES: Mixed media sculpture; Driftwood hand sanded, painted, nailed into, burned, and attached to shaped piece of wood; high fire porcelain teeth, seal spirits, and fish were hand shaped; fused orange glass beads representing baby salmon spirits were made by the artist; all low fire clay faces and spirit hands were made by artist; fish net floats from family’s old fishing nets were used to represent human life way; fishing net float on top carved to represent a Yup’ik male hunter; feathers hand painted by the artist; spirit being painted on back side of board.

MEANING: This is an anthentic functional dance stick which hangs from a ceiling during dance. Two rawhide points at the base and at the neck of this larger image support the piece while being used. This price represents the life of my grandfather "Cunar" (who lived a traditonal Yup'ik lifestyle in his life and in his heart). It represents the cycle of life and the responsibility our grandparents had in respecting the nuna "land" and animals we depend on.

PRICE: $10,000.00

Currently undergoing refinements.

Archive Gallery Phillip John Charette

Sold Works of Art

Alaskan Native Horse Hair Fired

Qucillgaq "Crane" Mask Sculpture

Crane as seen at Santa Fe Indian Market

WINNER: 2006 SWAIA ARTIST CHOICE AWARD

Photo by Wendy McEahern, Courtesy SWAIA

DATE COMPLETED: July 7, 2006. This piece took over a year to make.

MATERIALS: Raku / Horse hair fired pottery body, head, and wings (red glaze raku, red areas and back of wings hand carved when leather hard); high fire porcelain teeth, beak, bones, and legs;  Oak frame bent using traditional methods and inlayed into oak cross supports;  Raku spirit faces are made with custom glazes; commercial seal skin used as padding; , over 60 rawhide connections used to bind entire mask together; Wild turkey feathers used with acrylic paints; Chukkar feathers used with acrylic paints; Fused glass eyes are made by the artist; Red dyed coral, turquoise, red glass beads; ebony & hardwood body reinforcement/support; antler name plate; and mother of pearl.

MEANING: Qucillgaq is Yup'ik for Crane. This mask has special meaning between me and my Yup'ik grandparents. Briefly, it is a reminder not to be consumed by one's self.

    Santa Fe Indian Market

               Private Collection

                 Santa Fe, New Mexico

Alaskan Native Horse Hair Fired Tuunraq Mask Sculpture

2005 Eiteljorg First Place Award winning piece

With award and photo of piece being displayed at The Smithsonian's  National Museum of the American Indian.

Digital Image by Phillip John Charette, Alaskan Native Artist. Phillip and NYC friend Bunny with Tuunraq mask on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Lower Manhattan, NY, NY, September 2005. Some minor improvements have been made to this piece since this photo.

MATERIALS: This is a horse hair fired tuunraq style mask. Outer faces and teeth are made of porcelain. Spirit glass beads are made by the artist. Red paint is acrylic. Large feathers are the wing feathers from wild turkey and the feathers on the smaller masks are chukkar feathers.

MEANING: This Tuunraq mask is to remind us to respect and wisely use our personal gifts. This mask would be for someone who has a powerful gift or helping spirit.

DIMENSIONS: 5 feet height by 5 feet width X 8" depth

Mask has been slightly improved from image seen at left.

Private Collection,

         Scottsdale, AZ

Alaskan Native 2004 Santa Fe Indian Art Market 

Standards and Second Place Award winning piece

Photo by Wendy McEahern, Courtesy of SWAIA. Mask has undergone minor improvements which expand on the meaning of the piece since this image was taken.

MATERIALS: This is a challenge piece (challenged by my aunt Marty to make a piece out of this driftwood). Contemporary Yup'ik Spirit mask. "Ullagait Anateng"  (they 'spirits' approach the Mother Being) mask is made of cedar driftwood, porcelain, handmade glass beads (by the artist), and wild turkey feathers

EXHIBITIONS: This piece  was on display at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum, the Santa Fe Indian Art Market, a solo Art Museum Exhibition at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, Oregon, and at the 1st annual Indian Art Market at the Portland Art Museum. This challenge mask inspired by my Aunt Marty.

MEANING: This mask teaches us of our responsibilities to our children to create a solid foundation for the future of humanity. This mask would be for anyone who sees the cycle of life as a continuous journey.

DIMENSIONS: 32" width x 66" height x 10" depth

     Private Collection,

               Portland,OR

ALASKAN NATIVE YUP'IK SPIRIT BEAR

FUNCTIONAL DANCE MASK

2007 Santa Fe Indian Art Market Auction

Photo by Phillip Charette. Mask has undergone some minor improvements since photo was taken. New hanging mechanism has been designed to make the piece appear to float.

MEANING: This mask teaches us about selfishness, greed, love, and fairness. This mask would be appropriate for anyone who pursues something without regarding the consequences to others and - in the end - to them selves.

DIMENSIONS: 5 feet width X 5 feet height X 15 inches depth.

   2007 Santa Fe Indian Art Market

               Private Collection

        Pembroke Pines, Florida

ALASKAN NAITVE "AMIKUK" - 2005 Santa Fe Indian Art Market 

Award Winning Piece 

Photo By Phillip Charette.   Large Amikuk mask as seen on recent show cards. Mask went through some minor improvements since this image was taken. Two (2) additional porcelain feathers were added to the side. Porcelain feathers now have red tips and the feathers on the forehead have red tips.

PERMANENT COLLECTION: This mask sculpture is in the permanent collection of the Portland Art Museum and is on permanent display in the Arctic Collection.   http://www.pam.org/

MEANING: This mask sculpture teaches us to be aware of our surrounding and to tread lightly when we are in unfamiliar territory. This mask is good for anyone who does much travel in unfamiliar or dangerous territory.

DIMENSIONS: 6 feet width X 5 feet height X 18" depth.

   Native American Art Council

                  Portland Art Museum,

                        Permanent collection

                Permanent display

ALASKAN NATIVE YUP'IK   "BEAR TUUNRAQ"

DANCE MASK

AVAILABLE, Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, HI 96817, Ph: 847.3511 http://www.bishopmuseum.org/

Bear Tuunraq style mask as seen before improvements. Mask is scheduled to be in the Totemism and Animism Traveling Museum Exhibit in the Hawaiian Islands.

TECHNIQUES

This functional  three dimensional mask is designed to be suspended and rotate in a room or high space; both sides have artwork. Challenge piece (challenged by Coos Art Museum curator to make a functional dance mask out of piece of driftwood), front and back of mask was carved and finish sanded, bear face on back of mask is actually mouth piece to hold the mask for dancing; deer hide strap on back holds mask to face; mask hangs from ceiling so it can be used; clay faces hand sculpted and carved of raku clay; large glass beads fused by the artist; brass whiskers, eyebrows, and eye hand sanded and buffed; paint behind raku faces distressed; porcelain teeth, bones, and spirit on back are hand sculpted and high fired; oak is bent using traditional wood bending method; traditional symbols burned into wood.

MEANING: This bear mask was inspired by my father and the life he lived as a law enforcement officer. It teaches us how a strong and beautiful spirit can disfigured by the  life it lead. The story goes with this piece and is for anyone who's strong and beautiful spirit was disfigured by the life it had to live. It reminds us to carefully think about the life path we choose. The life path we choose ultimately shapes the spirit we become and the spirit we must ultimately face.

DIMENSIONS: 4 feet  width X 5 feet height X 8" depth.

PRICE:    Private collection,

                           Oahu, Hawaii

ALASKAN NATIVE "OLD SEA BIRD YUA"

PERMANENT COLLECTION: This mask sculpture is in the permanent collection of the Hallie Ford Museum of Art  in Salem, Oregon http://www.willamette.edu/museum_of_art/index.htm

DIMENSIONS: 36”w X 45”h X 14”d

DATE COMPLETED: Refinished May 2006

MATERIALS:

Low fire clay, porcelain, fused glass, walnut, wild turkey feathers, wood stain, acrylic paints, rawhide, & synthetic sinew.

TECHNIQUES:

Hand sculpted and carved low fired clay body/face, bird head, wings, and spirit hands (clay body stained with wood stain and rubbed off of face area); high fired hand sculpted porcelain beak, teeth, and spirit faces; hand bent walnut frame and supports; fused glass beads representing spirits made by the artist; feathers hand painted after photo taken; spirit symbols painted on back of mask; human blood applied to back area of mask.

    Hallie Ford Museum,

               Permanent Collection

Structural and aesthetic improvements made after image was taken

ALASKAN NATIVE "GETTING IN TOUCH

WITH MY INNER TUUNRAQ (Helping Spirit)"

FUNCTIONAL DANCE MASK

Inner Tuunraq as seen before improvements have been made. Mask is designed to hang but is available with stand.

DIMENSIONS: 44” h X 28”w X 20”d

DATE COMPLETED: May 2006

MATERIALS: Driftwood, low fire raku clay, home formulated raku glazes, high fire porcelain, fused glass, glass beads; brass rods, oak, maple, wood inlay, abalone, wood sealer, acrylic paint, beads, wild turkey feathers, deer hide.

TECHNIQUES: This three dimensional mask is designed to hang suspended in a room and spin around (artwork on front and back); Driftwood hand carved and finish sanded on front and back; wood inlay incorporated into front of piece; abalone attached to front represent spirits; Raku pieces were hand sculpted; porcelain teeth hand sculpted and high fired; brass spirits around eyes hand sanded and polished; antler mask support (back top of mask) hand cut and polished (allows mask to be danced with) ; traditional symbols burned into wood; acrylic accents hand painted; mask mouth piece carved to fit mouth; deer hide straps give additional support for dancing; and beadwork hand done on small mask.

     Private Collection

ALASKAN NATIVE "GABRIEL"

Inspired by discussion of how Tuunraq's are Angels and the musical Group Lamb and their song "Angel Gabriel"

Image of mask before improvements.

Date Completed: Refinished May 2006

Materials: Low fire raku clay; home formulated raku glazes; high fire porcelain fused glass, oak, bamboo, acrylic paint, died coral, beads, wild turkey feathers, synthetic sinew, and rawhide.

Techniques: Mixed media sculpture; Face hand sculpted raku clay; porcelain teeth, faces, & hanging bones hand sculpted and high fired; large glass beads on forehead hand fused by artist; oak frame hand bent using traditional bending methods; feathers painted; mask attached to spirit rings with rawhide; and, mounting bracket set up so piece extends 8-12” from wall (shadow represents spirit of the mask). Gabriel is similar in size and shape to the Amikuk mask at the Portland Art Museum.

     Private Collection

                Sun Valley, ID

ALASKAN NATIVE "Moonlight Spirit Mask"

Image courtesy of Coos Art Museum

PERMANENT COLLECTION: This mask sculpture is in the permanent collection of the Coos Art Museum  Coos Bay, Oregon.

http://www.coosart.org/gallery/0moonlightspirit.html

MEANING: Inspired by the spirit of the rings that circle a full moon on a nice clear night.

   Coos Art Museum,

            Permanent Collection