Yellow Cedar wood, Abalone shell, Acrylic paint, Otter fur

“Back then the Bella Coola believed that all animals possessed supernatural powers and abilities. One of them was the beaver. They believed that the beaver did not just carve with his teeth. But carved with crooked-handled adzes. The beaver was a prized possession by the nuxalk people.

I’ve seen the work of these beavers and the carving marks they leave on a tree resemble the same textures we use with our own carving tools. They seem to be very calculated beings and must put an enormous amount of time into the craft. Which reminds me as a woodcarver, maybe we’re not much different from these beings after all.” – Reuben Mack

“This box resembles an adult bald eagle. Eagles aren’t hunted by any predators unless it’s another eagle, which makes them apex predators. Whenever an eagle deals with conflict from smaller game, they don’t seem to fall into [it]. Instead, they rise higher and higher until they are no longer reachable. Eagles are also key in the circle of life – [they often help to] relocate salmon into the forest floors, enriching the environment by [feeding it with] the richness of the salmon carcass and bringing nutrients to places where a salmon wouldn’t normally reach.

I’ve always wanted to fly like an eagle. Fly above all else, viewing everything with a higher perspective…the one who has the sharpest vision to see beyond any other living creature.”

– Reuben Mack, 2022