While sculpture has always been made of various materials, including rare and expensive materials, sculptors have always sought to produce works of art that are permanent. Sculptures can be created by carving; others are assembled, built up and fired, welded, molded, or cast.
In the Pacific Northwest, wood was sculpted for totem poles, masks, utensils, War canoes and a variety of other uses, with distinct variations between different cultures and regions. Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large Western Red Cedar trees.