Mask depicting Sneezer, 1993
Tom Patterson, Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nation
red cedar, cedar bark, pigment
24" high x 16" wide x 8" deep
The Sneezer is part of the Animal Kingdom, or Atłak´ima. This is a winter ceremony dance and can include up to forty masked dancers. The dance tells the story of a Chief's son who ran away from his cruel father and hid in the woods. There he meets a supernatural grouse who introduces him to another realm where he meets the Forest Spirits. One of the Forest Spirits, the Sneezer, is a supernatural creature who brings a light hearted quality to the seriousness of the ceremony. Called an "interrupter," the Sneezer interrupts the sober setting by sneezing in an outrageous and theatrical manner.
Tom Patterson was born in 1962 in Victoria, British Columbia. Patterson is a member of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation of Vancouver Island. Patterson began carving at the age of fifteen with the Arts of the Raven workshop program. In 1977, he started his apprenticeship with Kwakwaka’wakw Nation carver Tony Hunt Sr.
During his apprenticeship with Hunt, he helped with the construction of the big house at the Field Museum in Chicago. He has also been influenced by the works of Tim Paul, Don Yeomans, and Art Thompson.
Patterson’s art has been and will be an ongoing process, learning from elders and artists. An important part of his personal and artistic development has been gaining an understanding of the rich culture and history of his people. He was the exhibition carver on site at 'The Down from the Shimmering Skies' exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1998. Tom's work is bold and is often guided by traditional Nuu-chah-nulth aesthetics. He also enjoys working on a large scale.
