Sage Nowak is a Tahltan Vuntut Gwitchin artist currently based in British Columbia. Sage has received two Emerging Artist Scholarship awards to support his work with mentor artists Phil Gray and Dean Heron. For his 2020 Emerging Artist Scholarship award, Sage carved a transformation mask combining polar bear fur, black bear fur, claws and mother of pearl.
Transformation Mask, 2021
Wood, paint, polar bear fur, black bear fur, claws, mother of pearl
Transformation Mask, 2021
Wood, paint, polar bear fur, black bear fur, claws, mother of pearl
2018 Scholarship artwork
Installation View
“I am a carver, painter, muralist, drum maker, dancer, and tattoo artist. All of my work is a reflection and continuation of my culture and ancestry. It is my connection to spirit and self-understanding. Through following ancient practices it allows me it to relive the forgotten ways in the present day and understand history. Through out my journey as an artist, I have carved masks, panels, totem poles and learned where they came from, their purpose, and meaning. To understand the art form is to learn the culture. To learn the culture is to carry on our identity as Indigenous people and show society that we are still here and have not forgotten our ways of life.”
– Sage Nowak
