Carvings

 One of the most stunning cedar burls I have ever had the privilidge to work with. The grain like fire and the burned edges by fire synergise in this beautiful piece.  The center is actually turned off azis for a subtle warped effect. 

 I am pleased to say this was purchased by another artist! 

 Finish Saicos hardwax oil and lots and lots of polishing

                            Hiłḥiyiis

Redcedar / Abalone / Deer Antler

Hiłḥiyiis is a carving that was commissioned by the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust to reflect the Hišinqʷiił regional gathering of September 17, 2017. Much of the focus that day was on reconciliation, bringing together people from all 7 west coast communities to share in food, company and presentations reflective of who we are.

 This piece was inspired by a painting by Keith Powell that graces the cover of a book called `The Bird Tribes`. The book had a profound effect on me in my early twenties. The image has forever stuck in my mind. This is my version of that image carved in wood. It was important for me not to copy the original painting but rather to reflect on the feelings that the painting brings up for me. 

   Ta-Mook is the Nuu-Cha-Nulth word for the Kingfisher bird. This sculpture represents a vision that I had in a Sweatlodge ceramony. The  Sweatlodge is what the bird is hovering over. During one particular ceremony I could hear a pair of Kingfishers flying around and nattering loudly as they are prone to doing. At one point there came a particularly loud twitter and like a flash of lightening I saw a huge Kingfisher`s beak break through the top of the lodge and strike the rocks. It was a gift of power and teaching. I was left with this image in my mind.

  This piece is cut from the core of a large Maple burl that was all the way around the trunk of the tree. I have made several pieces from different cuts off of the original burl. I was left with the rotted core bit in the middle of two 10" chunks of swirly grain wood. I cut the essence of the shape of the rotted center out and wire brushed the rotten part until I was left with solid wood. The dark colour is totally natural as is the crazy patterning and texture of the wood.

 This is a piece made for my friends `Girls` to have a safe place to keep some heritage jewellery. His wife and 4 daughters. Each of the children were given guardian animals by their grandmother at birth. There are 4 drawers for each child with their animals carved on the drawer front in Nuu-Chah-Nulth style. The lid opens up as a place for Momma`s treasures. Represented by a bear paw with each claw a feather for her 4 children. 

  This was a commission to build a 2 sided sign for a friends business in Tofino. The business actually now has 2 names. I decided to carve the 2 names in a different style as well as the different fonts. The Tofino Whale watch is V-cut into the panel. The Tofino Water Taxi is left flush with the surface of the panel while the wood is carved away from around it. There is also a small V-cut around the letters to define them.

  The wood is Red Cedar and the finish is Sansin. Completed in the summer 2016  

 This is a Red Cedar turning that has been hand carved along the grain on the outer layers and sanded to a fine finish in the inner layers. There is a piece of hand cut and polished blue tigers eye in the center. Designed as a mandella of sorts the idea is that everything gets cleaner and clearer tward the center. 

 22" X 22"

 Finished with Osmo hardwax oil.

 $490

 This piece is carved from a single piece of Red Cedar.

 The inspiration came from doing a grounding for a dear friend in pain. We were in a large building 9 stories up. This image appeared in my mind as we were visuallizing roots connecting to the earth. The roots agressively took over the building and the tree grew out the top after the roots hit the ground. I see this as my friends healing and as healing for the world. There is great contrast between the square, flat and linear building and the random, curved and sensous tree and roots.

 Sharky is one of those pieces that was cut out of a firewood log because I could 'see' the fin in the broken branch. Someone told me once that I was the guy that actually made the stuff from nature that people 'see'. Living on the west coast in the heart of the old growth forest there are often fabulous chunks of old growth trees that are cast into the ocean during winters big winds and tides. I need a serious supply of firewood to support my home and shop and it makes me feel good to be able to produce art from some of these pieces.