Northwest Coast

Red Cedar wood, Yellow Cedar wood, Acrylic paint

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