Scott Jensen began carving in the early 1970s, teaching himself the craft before going on to share it with others along the West Coast for decades. His work reflects a sustained and thoughtful engagement with traditional Indigenous knowledge, oral history, and design. These influences do not sit on the surface; they are embedded in the structure and spirit of his carvings. In the catalogue for Facing the Coast, his 2014 exhibition at Stonington Gallery, Jensen remarked on his research into portrait masks, observing that “after looking at so many examples of this type of mask, some overall character traits in them became apparent. They all had a sense of realism in the human quality of the way the face was carved. I kept thinking ‘realism within the abstract.’”

That sensibility is fully present in Mask with Labret. The figure has distinctly human features: slightly bulbous cheeks, a subtle flare in the nostril, a presence that feels lived-in. Yet these familiar elements are interrupted. The lower half of the face is swept with a broad wave of blue, dividing the composition into planes of emotion and meaning. Strong brows anchor the gaze, while a deep ochre lip encircles the labret. Across the mouth falls a sharp black streak, suggestive of fingers or perhaps a beak, reaching or obscuring. The result is a mask that resists simplicity. It invites the viewer to read not just a face, but a layered expression of identity, memory, and transformation.