The Traditional Art of the Mask

Carving a Transformation Mask
Traditional carving techniques and step-by-step instructions for creating beautiful masks of the Kwakiutl people of the Pacific Northwest. 

The masks of the Kwakiutl people of the Pacific Northwest are noted around the world for their bold colorful designs. Used for dramatic recreations of the ancestors’ adventures, they carry a depth of social, historical, and religious meaning. This is a rare look into the traditional ways of creating these beautiful masks that have brought such admiration to these native American carvers. 

Author Lelooska has spent a lifetime creating these masks, a privilege bestowed upon him by the Kwakiutl. He has recreated many of the ceremonial masks which were lost or destroyed when the potlach was, for a time, outlawed. His masks are used in the traditional dances both at the revived gatherings and at recreations of the dances presented by the Lelooska Foundation in Ariel, Washington.

Now he shares the traditional carving techniques with carvers everywhere. The Kwakiutl carvers are known particular for their transformation or opening masks, which change or open to reveal a second, inner mask. The mask carved in this new book is just such a mask, beautiful in its design and its complexity. Each step is illustrated and described to help the carver recreate the mask on his or her own.

This is a unique and much awaited book by one of America’s foremost artists.

Contributor: Doug Congdon-Martin (Photographs by)

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.