Whale & Mammoth Bone Sculpture

Mammoth Bone Hunter

Ancient musk ox bone hunter
w/ ivory face


Whale bone w/ caribou antler


Whale bone masks
musk ox hair, ivory teeth, ink

Mammoth bone Dancer w/ Fans
mammoth ivory face, w/ ptarmigan feather fans w/ baleen, mounted on mammoth bone


Mammoth bone Fisherman
mammoth ivory face w/ baleen rods & caribou antler fish w/ ivory hook & baleen eyes


Beluga Whale made of whale bone
mounted on whale bone













Beluga Whale made of whale bone
mounted on mammoth bone


Woman Fishing

Whale bone body w/ walrus ivory face, baleen fishing poles w/ twine. Fish is musk ox horn w/ baleen inlay eyes biting onto a miniature walrus ivory hook w/ tiny eyes. Color is India ink. The base is mammoth bone.



Beluga Mother & Baby
Beluga carved from whale bone w/ water based stain, mounted on mammoth bone.

Red Cedar Carving w/ Baleen & Ivory

Tulugaq Man

Red Cedar carving w/ bleached skin headband & baleen raven & brass tack headdress. Natural knot hole for mouth & ivory labrets.

Birch Wood Pictoral Carvings

Togiak

Ahyaya
Vica Owens grandparents

Amouluq Resting ~Maggie Iviktaq Gregg~

Birch wood carving w/ water based stain, enamel, wood saudering & twine for seal skin stretching.





Untitled Hunter
Birch carving w/ water based stains & wood saudering, metal additions for the hook and twine for rope.

Mammoth Tail Bone Sculpture


"Before Inupiat Time"


This sculpture features wooly mammoth ivory, mammoth tail bone, musk ox horn and hair - material nearly as timeless as the Inupiat people themselves.

Wooly mammoths lived in Northwest Arctic Alaska between 20,000 and 120,000 years ago. Their remains, in the form of teeth, bone, and ivory from their great tusks are discovered along the rivers and oceanfront as erosion occurs. The musk oxen were roaming with the Wooly Mammoths and are still here today.

This sculpture captures the time before the Inupiat people came to this area.

Double Sided Whale Bone Sculptures

"Anatquq Journey I"
Owl in flight, transformed from Shaman with outstretched arms. Whale vertebrae & jaw bone, bearded seal claws, walrus ivory and jade pupils. Mounted on a portion of mammoth bone.

The whale and mammoth bones were found along the Arctic coast near Kotzebue. Mammoths roamed the region in considerable numbers between 25,000 and 125,000 years ago. It is understood by Native cultures throughout the circumpolar North that the snowy owl is a "good sign" much like a guardian, of whoever spots this beautiful bird as it flies along the Arctic tundra.
~front~

"Anatquq Journey I"

Shaman w/ outstreatched arms, becoming the owl
Whale bone sculpture w/ jade pupils & ugruk claws
~back~
















~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Anatquq Journey II"

~front~


This is the transformation of a shaman (Anatquq) into a snowy owl (Ukpik). The material used are gray whale vertebrae and jaw bone, bearded seal (Ugruk) claws for the owl claws and wooly mammoth ivory stained by India ink for the eyes. The base is a portion of mammoth lower jawbone.


"Anatquq Journey II"

Whale bone face w/ ivory labrets. Opaque eyes made w/ dust & epoxy.
Shaman in transformation toward flight
~back~

His opaque eyes are a result from his trance.

Whale Bone Sculptures

Puffin Whale Bone Sculpture

Whale bone w/ baleen eye accent & India ink

Whale bone w/ baleen eye accent & India ink
10" tall









Puffin II

Whale vertibrae & rib bone w/ india ink, inset eyes & baleen

Puffin I

Whale vertebrae & rib bone, india ink, inset eyes & baleen


Skull Mask
Whale bone mask w/ musk ox hair, painted turkey feathers, india ink & ivory teeth




Whale Bone Polar Bear

Whale bone sculpture w/ polar bear teeth, india ink, bone dust/epoxy for eyes

About the Artist: Qalayauq

~ Inupiat artist Roswell L. "Ross" Schaeffer Sr., also known as Qalayauq, was born and raised in the Inupiat community of Kotzebue, Alaska, located 39 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
~ As an Inupiaq hunter, Qalayauq is able to capture the true meaning of the hunting culture using his own observations and ancient teachings handed down by generations. Even today, some of the spiritual aspects of the hunting culture are beleived and followed. The expression of this reverence for the animals and culture are apparent in his work, which are unique in materials and execution.

All art inquiries for available pieces should be directed to Vica Owens, Sulianich Art Center at: (907) 442-2990 or vowens@nwabor.org Questions about commissions or to contact the artist, email: qalayauq@gmail.com



The log home Ross built at Sadie Creek, outside of Kotzebue. A place of beauty.