George Price

BYDealers Auction House Biography and Notes

This wall-mounted wooden mask of "Sisuitl" by George Price is painted in bright blue, green, burnt umber and white with shell at the eyes. Price is a Coast Salish wood carver from Sea bird Island, BC. He relocated to the Thunder Bay area in Ontario where he works as a teacher and continues to carve. He was assisted in the creation of this piece by Audrey Deroy-Gagnon. This wood mask is signed, dated and titled on verso. A story about Sisuitl is written in hand on card and fixed to the back of the piece: “Double headed serpent whose body was a face, played an important part in the ritual of Winalagilis, the war spirit. This mythological creature was the warrior's assistant. It could be ridden and rowed like a canoe; its flesh was impervious to any spear; it could inflict instant death by its glance; and it could cause any enemy who looked upon it to be turned to stone, with all his joints turned backwards."