Thunderbird, Bear, Human, & Frog Pendant
Availability: Only 1 available
by David Neel
Sterling silver, 14K Yellow Gold, Abalone shell, Oxidized, Engraved
2.75 x 1.75"
$2,700.00 CAD
Only 1 available
- Description
- Additional Information
- Artist Bio
Sterling silver, 14K Yellow Gold, Abalone shell, Oxidized, Engraved
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Hei-Matau Pendant
Luke Gardiner
$470.00 CADJade
Hei-Matau represents prosperity, abundance and fertility. The wearer of a Hei-Matau is seen as a provider and protector who is strong willed and determined to succeed in life. They are worn to protect travelers over water, and are also symbols of power and authority which are held in great reverence by the Maori people. They were used practically as a tool for fishing and often decorated as a sign of respect for sea creatures.
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Killerwhale Ring
Norman Bentley
$2,640.00 CAD14K Yellow Gold, 14K White Gold Rails, Engraved
Cut-Out Design
Width: 7/16″
Size: 6.75
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Hummingbird & Bear Box [Framed]
David Neel
$900.00 CADSerigraph, Edition of 70
Unframed
(For inquiries on custom framing, please contact the gallery)
“This design depicts the legend of a hummingbird, who, while out gathering flower nectar, encountered a bear. This bear was something of a bully and would not allow the hummingbird to get near the flowers. Hummingbird tried again and again but the bear blocked her every time. Frustrated, the hummingbird gathered some twigs and flew inside the bear’s nose and down into his stomach, where she used the twigs to start a fire and then flew back outside. With smoke wafting from his nose and mouth, the bear ran away into the forest and never bothered hummingbird again. This legend teaches us that even great obstacles can be overcome.
The design is in the shape of a cedar bentwood box, which was widely used by all the tribes on the Northwest Coast. They were used as storage containers, cooking vessels, and were stacked to serve as walls inside the big-house. The sides were made from a single red cedar plank that was “kerfed” so that it could be steam bent and would be water tight. The lid was often decorated with Operculum shells that were inlaid in a pattern. The boxes were painted with elaborate designs that are the foundation of Northwest Coast Native “flat design”. David has extensively studied the work of the master artists who painted the early bentwood boxes, which has influenced his hand engraved jewelry, and inspired the design for this print.”
– David Neel
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The Way Home: David Neel
David Neel
$32.95 CADDavid Neel was an infant when his father, a traditional Kwakiutl artist, returned to the ancestors, triggering a series of events that would separate David from his homeland and its rich cultural traditions for twenty-five years. When he saw a potlatch mask carved by his great-great-grandfather in a museum in Fort Worth, Texas, the encounter inspired the young photographer to rekindle a childhood dream to follow in the footsteps of his father.
Drawing on memories, legends, and his own art and portrait photography, David Neel recounts his struggle to reconnect with his culture after decades of separation and a childhood marred by trauma and abuse. He returned to the Pacific Coast in 1987, where he apprenticed with master carvers from his father's village. The art of his ancestors and the teaching of the people he met helped to make up for the last years and fuelled his creativity. His career as a multi-media artist also gave him the opportunity to meet and photograph leading artists, knowledgeable elders, and prominent people from around the world. In time he was a recognized artists, with his artwork presented in more than forty solo and sixty group exhibitions.
The Way Home is an uplifting tale that affirms the healing power of returning home. It is also a testament to the strength of the human spirit to overcome great obstacles, and to the power and endurance of Indigenous culture and art.
Softcover