Sea Monster of St. Lazaria (Warrior Helmet) – 1999

Scott Jensen has written about the process of carving Tlingit-style war helmets in the past. He has created very few, but each is a master work unto itself:

“The process behind creating this Tlingit warrior helmet is deeply personal to me: I begin imagining the needs of the warrior in battle; his needs become my needs, which become the needs of the sculpture. The helmet must be comfortable to fight in, yet substantial enough to keep the warrior alive. It is designed with fear in mind, to spiritually support and energize the warrior’s fervor, and to frighten opponents into vulnerability. A helmet not only had to keep the warrior safe, but to proclaim his honor as a man, a fierce warrior, a Tlingit. It was a proud badge as well as a shield.”