Russell Smith was a highly talented Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw multimedia artist who excelled in wood carving and metal engraving. Smith studied under such prestigious teachers as Bill Holm, Bill Reid, Lloyd Wadhams Sr, and Peter Page. [1] Smith was an especially talented mask maker, both in full-sized wood and miniature metal repoussé. This earlier example by him is a take on a Nuxalk (formerly Bella Coola Indian) red cedar mask, a subject matter that he returned to later in his career. Smith’s interpretation of Nuxalk-style includes prominent cheeks, rounded orb eyes, and red trigons breaking up large, repeating, solid blue u-shapes. The overall composition is very pleasing and demonstrates Smith’s skill with sculpture and design from early on in his carving career.

1. Dawkins, Alexander. 2019. Understanding Northwest Coast Indigenous Jewelry: The Art, the Artists, the History. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 78.