Don Yeomans

Yellow Cedar, Acrylic paint

The Eagle is seen as a symbol of prestige, power, peace, wisdom and friendship. Eagles one of the most prominent beings in the art and mythology of Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous culture, and claim both honour and high stature. They are respected for their intelligence, grace, and power, and can be associated with freedom and lofty pursuits. In artwork, the figure can be easily recognized by its hooked beak.

Yellow Cedar wood

The Haida origin story begins at the beginning of time when the great floods were just starting to recede. Raven is hungry and he craves food that is not his usual fare; he flies over to the mainland. He is greeted by two Beavers who are undergoing transformation to men, as this was the second period of time when animals transformed into humans, and began to inhabit the world.

Raven looks emaciated and so the Beavers take him home. It is a great plank house with a mysterious waterway hidden behind a beautifully painted screen. The Beavers pass back-and-forth through the screen to catch Salmon and brings them out to feast upon.

When the Beavers change back from men to Beavers, they leave the house to bring Raven tree bark to eat. Raven decides this is a wonderful opportunity to pass through the screen to retrieve some Salmon. When he goes through, he discovers a beautiful land of lakes and streams full of Salmon. Of course, he tries to take them all but they wiggle and slip away. Finally he rolls the entire carpet of landscape, places it in his beak and flies away so that he may lay it on his favorite islands. This is how Salmon came to be so abundant everywhere.

Red Cedar wood, Acrylic paint

Don Yeomans’ Killerwhale & Eagle Panel is a beautiful and dynamic depiction of two significant and powerful figures in Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous culture. Carved from rich red cedar wood, the panel features a classic red and black color-scheme that is commonly seen in historic northern artworks. The vibrant red, combined with the dynamic expressiveness of the carving, easily captures the attention of all those in its vicinity. With such impeccable detail and fluidity, this artwork serves as a true testament to Don Yeomans’ skill as a master artist.

Red Cedar wood

“Our backyard is a constant swarm of hummingbirds [that] gathers around the feeder. Two hummingbirds can sometimes share, but three birds on one feeder is war.

In this panel design, there are three sections of wings and feet, while the central area has a pinwheel-like arrangement indicating three mouths and beaks. In the very centre is one eye, which, ironically, they share despite battling over one feeder.” – Don Yeomans

Yellow Cedar wood

“This panel [has] two purposes. The first is an idea that the mention of extraterrestrials influencing our past, while a popular notion, is extremely controversial. In many cultures, ‘their’ mere existence is a challenge to a religious narrative of Man’s creation. Naturally, I wondered if, in the case of Haida, did Raven really find humans living in a giant clamshell?

The second purpose of this panel lies in the raw or rough appearance of the wood carving. Some of my favourite carvings from older times are crudely carved. The message and power endowed within these pieces can felt despite their less polished appearance.” – Don Yeomans

Red Cedar wood, Acrylic paint

24.5 x 36 x 2″ (each panel)

73.5 x 36 x 2″ (entire triptych)

“This is the second triptych I did for this show, and this time I chose a different approach. One giant figure across three boards. The design is an Eagle, using painted undulating formline. I used blue formline with red secondary, simply because it is one of my favourite colours.” – Don Yeomans