Carved and painted whale headdress. Headdress is triangular in shape, and is black with white and red accents. Long white lines form a V running from back of head to forehead, with a white semi-circle at its opening. Eyes rest on shallow white hollows connecting under nose and are formed from black circles with crescent design outlined by a rounded red arrow. Mouth is a long red rectangle with a deep carved white centre. Two fins decorated with red and white detailing are attached to each side. Black ribbed fabric and cream strips hang off back of headdress. Headgear attached to interior.

Painted and carved salmon mask. Headdress is triangular in shape. Thin white lines curl around cheeks. A second set forms a V over forehead with a solid black band running down the rest of the forehead to the mouth. Shallow carvings around eyes form a long white oval. Eyes are formed from a solid black circle outlined with a wide black ring and a thin red ring in the centre of each oval. Mouth is a long red rectangle with two carved white lines. At each side is a white patch with three grey lines. Remainder of mask is painted grey. Ribbed black cloth and rough cotton strips hang down back of mask. Plastic headgear attached to interior.

Painted and carved salmon headdress. Headdress is triangle in shape. Thin white lines curl around cheeks. A second set forms a V over forehead with a solid black band running down the rest of the forehead to the mouth. Shallow carvings around eyes form a long white oval. Eyes are formed from a solid black circle outlined with a wide black ring and a thin red ring in the centre of each oval. Mouth is a long red rectangle with two carved white lines. At each side is a white patch with three grey lines. Remainder of headdress is painted grey. Smooth black cloth and rough cotton strips hang down back of mask. Plastic headgear attached to interior.

Painted and carved mask. Top edge has six rounded squares made of abalone and copper. Eyebrows made of copper with white and black outlines. Eyes are round mirrors ringed with copper, and red, white and black outlines. White and red detailing under each eye. Sunken green ovals surround both eyes and connect over bridge of nose. Sharp nose flares at bottom with open nostrils. Green, white and red on bridge, with black, white and red on nostrils. Cheeks are decorated with red ovals outlined by green, white and black bands of various thicknesses. Upper cheeks have more elaborate rectangles. Red mouth is wide open with curved black line around top lip. Green dashes run around mouth and chin. Black fabric hangs off back of mask, over elastic bands.

Felt headband with carved wooden frontlet of eagle. Band is made of red felt, with balsa wood carving of an eagle head at centre. Bird has two feathers atop the head, with large eyes rimmed in blue, and an open beak with slightly protruding tongue. Neck is painted with feathers in black. The head is attached to a piece of black leather that is sewn to the band with hide strips. Three shell buttons are sewn to band at both sides of the eagle head.

In the work of Yurok artist Rick Bartow, human and animal images meld together, suggesting the interconnectedness of nature. In this cedar triptych, a crow and hawk mask human figures. For Bartow, these "transformational images" directly reference the myths he encountered while studying Native American carving techniques and symbolize the natural order and the power of change and redemption.

Museum Puchase: Funds from Native American Art Council.

Museum Purchase: The Native American Art Council.

Gift of the Amon G. Carter Foundation.

Gift of the Amon G. Carter Foundation.