Carvings

  These are Cedar Logs that are in the process of being hand carved and textured with a tool called an Adze. The technique is called `Adzing` simply enough. The purpose and process is 2 fold. Carve off the outer layer of quick roting sap wood and texture the inner layer of heart wood in a stylized uniform pattern. This is a west coast carving technique from our First Nations relatives. I learned in essence from the late Henry Nola who learned from Roy Henry Vickers. I did not have the opportunity to practice this with Henry but I remember much of what he told me of the technique.

   Directional sign for the District of Tofino. Alaska (chainsaw) milled Red Cedar sign board. 2" X 24" X 10'. Finished in Sansin SDF Nano Natural. 

   The posts are Red Cedar and are hand carved across the grain with an Adze to remove the sap wood and add texture. They are also pre-drilled for mounting over steel bars. 

   These are examples of colabrative work that I have done with my partner Mary Forest. They are 3 ring binders intended as photo albums. Each of these books were made to hold 8 1/2" X 11" photo sheets, yet they are extra large .

   I make the books and Mary designs and carves the covers. The frames are 3/8" thick Douglas Fir and the floating panels are 1/4" Yellow Cedar. They are finished with Tung Oil and Ultra Blonde Shellac. 

 The books average $350 each. 

  This is a carved boardwalk plank that I completed as a memorial for the family. This is one of several planks that I carved for the new `Tonquin Park` boardwalk in Tofino in 2010. 

      2010. This sculpture in Red Cedar depicts 2 wolves on the back of a killer whale. The piece speaks to the relationship between killer whales and wolves  in nature and spirit. Killer whales are said to be the wolves of the sea, top predators travelling in loyal family groups. The stories from northwest coast first nations about killer whales transforming into wolves as they come ashore inspired this rendition. The wolves on the back of the whale exemplify the potential of transformation in all of us.

   `Froggy` is the little Yellow Cedar carved tree frog on this sign that I made for a good friend at the bequest of his loving parents. She seemed to take on a personality once she emerged from the block of wood. Carved by hand she took me 12 hours to complete. The leaf and driftwood mount are Red Cedar.

This a Hand Carved sign in Western Red Cedar. The lettering is v-cut carved and then the negative space is carved out to make the lettering pop. I was careful to make a nice mirror of the letters in the negative with the chisel cuts. The letters are painted with white latex paint and the sign is finished with Sansin SDF nano natural. 

 These boxes are made to fit over medium sized tissue boxes. They are made from red cedar driftwood. The ends and hole in the middle have been oiled with Saicos Hardwax Oil to create a lovely contrast with the natural silver of the weathered wood. Originally made for the Spa at the Wickannish Inn in Tofino I now produce these on demand as long as I can find wood suitable. $120 each.

This is a 4 poster driftwood bed made of cedar driftwood from the shore lines of Clayoquot Sound. Part of the `Driftwood Suite` at the Cable Cove Inn in Tofino. The suite is full of driftwood accents from door and window trim, wall hangings and a curved corner desk. The headboard carving was designed to represent the snag (dead tree) that hangs out in the view scape from the Inn out to the sea.  My partner Mary Forest carved the headboard for me on this piece. The snag is also represented on the door to the treatment cabin also on this property.