In this course, students will learn about mask carving in the Yup’ik tradition before designing and carving their own masks. This will include some history of the Yup’ik culture and the importance of mask carving for spiritual and community-building, and storytelling purposes. Students will learn about traditional tools, materials, and symbols, and how those traditions are evident in modern art practices. There will be opportunities for students to explore their own personal and cultural backgrounds as the basis for the masks they design and carve. You will be guided in creating a mask in the Yup’ik tradition, but using personal narratives and symbols. We each have a background and a story, and you will be encouraged to find inspiration from your own experiences to help design your own mask. Each region and Indigenous group has their own unique and specialized traditions. Learn about the Yup’ik approach to carving masks - origins, purposes, materials and tools used, meaning behind symbols and attachments. Students will also learn about historic vs. modern approaches and philosophies. Instructor Jennifer Angaiak Wood is Yup’ik, Irish, and Italian. She was born and raised in Fairbanks, AK. The Yup’ik side of her family is from Tununak, AK, and she spent summers there with her family when she was growing up. The experiences she had there greatly inform her artistic expression, and her main focus is on carving masks from that region. The designs she uses are inspired by ancestral artworks, but incorporate modern materials and concepts to emphasize that the Yup’ik, as well as all Indigenous people, are a contemporary culture, not just a historic one. Required Tools: Personal protective equipment Pencil Paper or notepad Close-toed shoes Prerequisites Bring enthusiasm and an open mind. This class is designed for complete novices up through experienced woodworkers who would like to tune up their skills.