Thread: Unique carvings From the Pacific North West

Thanks for showing them CV3. I wouldn't have thought they'd come from Canada by the look of them. It's interesting to read the stories behind them for meaning, otherwise they're just good to look at, a bit new looking and the colour seems too bright but certainly definate and strong carving though. What you thinking of CV3?

Originally Posted by springwater

I wouldn't have thought they'd come from Canada by the look of them.

As a Canadian escapee I can attest that they look very much like the native american art of the Canadian west coast. Not an expert though so I could get fooled by imitations. I've got a brother in law (not native american) who does this sort of work in paintings (two dimentional). He actually did a line of snow boards with this art on them. He was trained by a native american though. I guess it would be the equivilant of a white fella being tought to paint in the Aboriginal style by an aboriginal artist.

Beyond me to judge the 'authenticity' of such work. Like it or leave it for what it is I reckon. Leave the 'heritage' aspects to others.

I did read most of the artists website, stone the crows Whittling I wasn't judging or disputing their authenticity or heritage just expressing my surprise at where they came from.

Originally Posted by springwater

I did read most of the artists website, stone the crows Whittling I wasn't judging or disputing their authenticity or heritage just expressing my surprise at where they came from.

Not sure how what I said managed to step on your toes mate, but no criticism intended. Sorry if it offended.

Originally Posted by Whittling

Not sure how what I said managed to step on your toes mate, but no criticism intended. Sorry if it offended.

I don't feel criticised or offended, nor did I feel you step in my toes

Hi
My first post! I have been carving for 30+ years. For most of my life, the last 40+ years here in British Columbia, I have been surrounded by the art of our Pacific NorthWest natives. By no means do I comprehend it all but I can say that the young Mr Price is a very accomplished carver in his cultural heritage tradition of "mid-coast." He is the real deal.There are quite rigid regional differences in design elements which separate North Coast, Mid Coast, West Coast and South Coast. Of course, the edges are fuzzy. The use of many colors and the off-set placement of the pupils of the eyes are definitive of Mid Coast work.

Chances are, you are more aware of the Haida, Tsimshian and Tlingit of the North Coast style, the great names such as Reid, Davidson and the Edenshaw family come to mind. Limited colors, limited design elements and complicated composites with a very rigid set of design elements create their most striking work in wood, gold and silver. Haida have exclusive use of argillite stone to separate their work from all others.

I could crap on excessively for 4 or 5 pages about the key characteristics but I won't bore you. . . there are a couple of excellent contemporary references if you need them.

Me? While I admire their art and I continue to be inspired by their skill, I have developed my own set of design elements.

Welcome to our little part of the world, Robson. I think our woodcarving forum here will benefit from you joining us.

When I first became interested in wood carving a few months ago I thought it was all about wood Sculpture which was way above me. But i now realise that there are many forms of wood carving. On our site we seem to be more into the sculpture mode. Correct me, if I am wrong.

I am not an artist, and never will be, but surprisingly I find myself interested in carving mainly because it has other varied formats. I think you will find that Robson will provide us with a totally different aspect as to what we see woodcarving on this forum.

Welcome Robson.

Pete

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

Me? While I admire their art and I continue to be inspired by their skill, I have developed my own set of design elements.

Well,
I'm a sticky nose.
I'd love to see some examples of your design elements Robson.

Thank you for the warm welcome.
Watson, you're dangerously close to asking me to get organized! That's a concept that I have blissfully ignored in retirement. Make an illustrated list? Never stopped to think that way. I can, though. Maybe it's time I did. I am surprised to find that I do have a "style" all of my own as it more or less applies to all my carvings.

I shall work at that, houseful of company this weekend so will put it off, maybe.
In the meantime, the very best contemporary instruction and reference guide (800+ illustrations) which will bring you up to speed:

Learning by Designing (vol I ) Pacific Northwest Coast Native Indian Art by Jim Gilbert & Karin Clark. ISBN 0-9692979-3-9.

In return, I'd like a reference to Australian Aboriginal Art. a reference to what I suspect are regional artistic differences. In the 4 short years that I lived in Melbourne (PhD LaTrobe Botany), I had precious little time to do much investigation in that day and time.

I report a research triumph.
One aspect of life on the Pacific Northwest Coast was the construction and use of waterproof bent-wood boxes. All 4 sides are one slab, then the bottom, then a lid. The boxes were used for storage, for cooking and for rendering fish oil, etc.

OOOPPPS! The word-police are closing in! "Kerf-bent" boxes, for those who care.

Anyway, I am determined to learn how to make these. If there's carving involved then it's to make the corner joints and the subsequent decoration of the sides. The lids/tops were not usually decorated as the larger boxes were used as chairs, particularly by the chief when throwing a potlach (Even in Australia, I never attended such a wild party).

Down the page a little in this fabulous website is a topic called
Box Making. In there is a thread that I started on Bent-wood boxes.
To my complete delight and surprise, your very own moderator RufflyRustic/Wendy digs up an ancient, 4-page article called "The watertight case." Very densely written and very accurate.

The blacksmith is ready to package and send my red cedar splitting slab froe so I can begin my attempts.

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

In return, I'd like a reference to Australian Aboriginal Art. a reference to what I suspect are regional artistic differences. In the 4 short years that I lived in Melbourne (PhD LaTrobe Botany), I had precious little time to do much investigation in that day and time.

Here's one Robson:

Books · McCulloch and McCulloch

A bit on the expensive side of things, but.......

McCulloch & is a bit stiff. I am hoping to find something which is just a slice of the pie, something which describes aboriginal art and what I expect are regional differences.

I inherited a 60cm, 4-figure totem pole in cedar. Carved prior to 1955. Purchased at Wigwam Inn, Vancouver, BC, Mid-Coast style. Honestly, there isn't a tool mark on it. Undercuts, hollows, long broad smooth curves, the bottoms of the cuts are absolutely clean of chips. One of my inspirations.

I decided to attempt to determine the provenance of this little pole. It is not signed, unless the abstract painting on the eagle's knees represents someone's initials. I thought that it might be an Ellen Neel but all her work that I've seen looks very different but consistently so.

As I came to understand the regional differences in carvings, I began to wonder what the Australian aboriginal carvings showed for regional differences.

This site may give you some clues as to what to look for
Australian Aboriginal art carvings | birds, fish, heads, totems | Tiwi art | Australia

Thanks, that's a clear step in the right direction. ". . . . differences in cross-hatch patterns. . . . . " I'm very interested in their interpretation and style to represent Australian animals, carvings in particular.