Raven Paints His Face collaboration between Scott Jensen and Courtney Lipson, married artists, with diverse artistic backgrounds and skills. They are non-Indigenous / adopted Tlingit. The adoption occurred at the time of their wedding. Quoted from the Scott Jensen website, “In 2010 Courtney and I had a dual ceremony of our wedding and our naming and adoption by our Tlingit brother and sister, Fred Sał kaa and Ivy Gunalshowaxeex Fulmer. Me into the Chookaneidí Eagle, Brown Bear and Porpoise Clan and Courtney into the T'akdeintaan Raven, Frog and Black Legged Kittiwake clan.”

Courtney Lipson is known for jewellery and miniature pieces with woven elements, beads and paint, imagery derived from microscopic observations of nature – patterns found in tide pools, water, rocks and shells. Her painting style is an extension of this process, fine detail based on nature and the demands of perfection found in the finest examples of Northwest Coast weaving. Her application of design to masks carved by Jensen are equally challenging, to wrap the design around sculpted forms and to lure the viewer into seeing the mask at close range. Both artists have had a long-term relationship with the Stonington Gallery in Seattle. This partnership honours their mutual preference to have feature exhibitions, catalogues and the opportunity to have their work seen in series. Jensen has had several catalogued solo exhibitions of his masks at the Stonington Gallery. Side by side, these masks demand equal attention and collectively span a wide range of mythological storytelling. His understanding of Tlingit mask making is exceptional which includes making pieces that are not large but intrinsically powerful and highly detailed.

Raven Travelling are stories that span the Northwest Coast and reveal the many exploits of Raven – theft of treasures, meddling in the lives of humans and animals, and a curiosity for how the world works. Raven as human, of course assisted the other birds and animals in choosing their colours including his own.

Gary Wyatt