This superb silkscreen print was created in 2004 by Steve Henrikson who has been Curator of Collections at Alaska State Museum in Juneau for decades. Printed with copper ore metal and black ink, it depicts a shield called a "copper," a Haida chief's possession. Copper metal was the ultimate symbol of wealth among the Haida, so the word has two meanings. Each "copper" had its own name; this shield's full name is Gawkyaan Huut Taaw Howkan. Composed of formline designs, the upper part of the shield shows the large eyes and the curved, pointed beak of the owl. The three panels are divided by the "T" shape, the backbone of the copper.
Handprinted by the artist beneath the image is the following: "For Candice and Larry Wilson Howkan Owl Copper A/P (Artist's Proof)." It was signed by the artist and dated 2004. (Larry Wilson and his wife Candice were both native Oregonians and are now both deceased.) We've also included a photo of the artist.
The image, printed on white paper, measures 12 1/2 inches tall and is surrounded by a white double-cut mat under glass. The 1 1/2 inch wide frame has a handsome copper finish and was custom made by a gallery in Florence, Oregon. Weighing 6 pounds, the framed size is 26 inches tall by 20 1/2 inches wide. It's in excellent condition with some tiny dents and chips in the frame. (Please note that any white lines or spots are reflections from the natural light on the glossy frame and the glass cover.) The black dust paper is intact on the back and there is a sturdy hanging wire attached.
A copy of this print is held in the collections of The Burke Museum, University of Washington, Seattle. It's a large, striking artwork, highly decorative and well-documented.
>>>Steve Henrikson has spent 30 years preserving and documenting the arts, culture and history of Alaska, especially those of the Tlingit people. He has often collaborated with his wife, Janice Lynn Criswell, on large public projects. From an online article about him: "He first moved to Alaska in 1987 as a curator at the National Park in Sitka. It was a few years later that he was hired as curator of collections, in Juneau, and a few years after that he was adopted by Angoon’s Killer Whale clan at a potlatch in Klukwan and given the name Eech T’ei, which means “Behind the Reef." He is the recipient of a 2016 Governor’s Award for the Humanities.
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