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      Home / Products / Saw-Whet Owl Haida Mask by Alyson Bell
      Saw-Whet Owl light wood Haida Mask by Alyson Bell on a blue background.
      light wooden mask of an owl with red, black, and yellow paint on a blue background, showing right side of the mask.
      Wooden mask with owl design held by a person against a light blue. background
      Light wooden owl mask with red, black, and yellow paint on a light blue background showing left side beak and eye.
      close up of eye and beak of wooden mask with intricate carvings on a light blue background.
      Close-up of a wooden owl mask with intricate carvings on a blue background showing the depth of the owls beak.
      Saw-Whet Owl light wood Haida Mask by Alyson Bell on a blue background.
      light wooden mask of an owl with red, black, and yellow paint on a blue background, showing right side of the mask.
      Wooden mask with owl design held by a person against a light blue. background
      Light wooden owl mask with red, black, and yellow paint on a light blue background showing left side beak and eye.
      close up of eye and beak of wooden mask with intricate carvings on a light blue background.
      Close-up of a wooden owl mask with intricate carvings on a blue background showing the depth of the owls beak.

      Saw-Whet Owl Haida Mask by Alyson Bell

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      This hand-carved alder Haida mask marks a pivotal moment in Alyson Bell’s development as a Northwest Coast artist. This is her first mask produced in her professional career outside of her education at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, reflecting a dedicated step towards wood carving.

      For emerging carvers, alder is often the first material used, offering a medium that is more approachable for beginners. Sourced locally from Haida Gwaii, the natural scale of alder as a smaller tree (typically 10 to 20 inches wide) informs the darling size of this piece and guides the naturally smaller subject chosen, a Northern Saw-Whet Owl.

      Alyson drew inspiration from this mask from an endemic subspecies of the saw-whet owl, called the brooksi subspecies, which is only found on Haida Gwaii.These owls favour nesting in mature forests and are known for their small size and distinctive presence in coastal night skies.

      Alyson's composition of this mask thoughtfully translates the saw-whet's defining features, from the soft fan of feathers around the face to the curve of the beak, and the striking yellow encircling the eyes. A flatter, round face speaks to the owl's facial disk, whose unique shape enables echolocation. 

      The surface is entirely hand-tooled, reflecting a high level of craftsmanship in Northwest Coast carving, where a refined tool finish is preferred over sanding, preserving the integrity and movement of the artist’s imprint on the wood. 

      • Material: Alder, acrylic paint
      • Dimensions: 7 inches wide x 7.5 inches tall x 5 inches deep
      • Year: 2026

      About the Artist: Alyson Bell, belongs to the Iij’aaw Yahgu ‘Laanaas Raven Clan from Old Masset in Haida Gwaii. As a child, Alyson would accompany her grandfather to see his carving friends in their studios. She grew up surrounded by artists who inspire her to this day. In 2023, Alyson graduated from the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art. In the fall of 2023, she began a formal apprenticeship with renowned Haida artist Robert Davidson.

      See more artwork by Alyson Bell, or explore our Haida paddle art and Haida art. 

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