Additional Images

Provenance:

Acquired directly from the artist in 1975 to the current Private Collection, Victoria, BC

Note:

Freda Diesing is an important artist; a true icon of her generation, Diesing was one of the very few female Haida carvers instrumental in reviving Northwest Coast Art in the 1960s and 70s. Diesing was one of the only female artists creating exceptional, finely carved masks. She typically used alder wood to carve as the pliable material allowed her to create masks that were naturalistic representations of human faces. This mask was created in 1975 at the height of her artistic career. The mask is characterized by an elegance and dignity of the subject. The striking dorsal fin of a killer whale adds a strong graphic element to the mask. The red and black paint of the fin is carried through to the facial features, giving a simplicity and bold quality to the work.

Diesing was taught by Bill Holm and Robert Davidson, and later instructed artists Dempsey Bob, Norman Tait and Don Yeomans.

She has received many awards including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in Winnipeg in March 2002. She received an honorary doctorate from the University of Northern British Columbia in May 2002.In 2006, Coast Mountain College created the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, located in Terrace, British Columbia named in her honour. Her masks can be found in major art museums and important collections around the world.