Identification Number

Name

Tag

Material

Culture Group

Maker

Place

Source Date

Source

Keyword

Description

Limited edition screen print Haida Box by Jeff Greene with formline designs in Sienna red and black. Bilaterally symetrical design features a frontal image of a creature with human hands and profile bear-like designs at the sides. Possibly a transforming bear although the accompanying description (see note) describes the faces on the end panel as of mousewoman. Crest designs on historic bent boxes were typically ambigious. According to the artist This is a traditional Haida design. It is one of the best I've ever seen. I wanted to do a print of it so that it isn't locked away. Signed by the artist with 7/100 (numbered edition). Condition: excellent.

Context

According to the artists profile, Jeff Greene was [b]orn in Skidegate Village in 1959, Nunstints (Jeff Greene) is a self-taught Haida artist working in traditional forms. he is from the Taas Laanaas clan (Sand people from the Eagle clan). His grandmother Mildred Pollard, was the firstr woman to work in argillite in the Queen Charlotte Islands. She was adopted into the Raven clan, hence jeff has the rights to use both clans. He has spent many years studying the works of famed Haida masters Tom Price and Charles Edensaw, as well as the contemporary artists Bill Reid and Robert Davidson
The information sheet accompanying this print, by Pacific Editions Limited 942 Fort Street, Victoria, B.C. Canada, V8V 3K2 states: One of the highlights of northern-style, two-dimensional designing are the paintings which cover the surfaces of bentwood boxes. These paintings follow a structured pattern and have a certain formal elegance. The central face of this box design can be seen as many different crest animals, while the faces on the end panels and in the lower centre of the image are of mousewoman.
The documentation states: This limited edition print titled 'Haida Box' by Jeff Greene was published in July, 1999. It was hand produced by the screen printing process. The artists was involved in the printmaking, checking the stencils and each copy in the edition. The edition consists of: 100 signed numbered copies, 10 Artist's Proof and 1 Printer's Proof. ... Paper: Stonehedge Cover White (rag). ... Numbered copies of thhis edition bear the Pacific Editions chop mark, excluding copies distributed by the artist. printmaking by Pacific Editions Limited, Victoria, B.C., Canada. This design is copyrighted by Jeff Greene, 1999. This is the only limited edition printing of this design.
This print was purchased at the Haida Gwaii Museum at Skidegate.