Woodworm Staff
Availability: Only 1 available
by Lyle Wilson
Yellow Cedar wood, Abalone Shell
with Granite Base
47 x 1.75 x 1.75″
47 x 8 x 8″ (including base)
From a previous job NUGWA (I/me) had two skinny, off-cuts of KWANALAS (yellow cedar) — one long and one short. Both pieces kind of straddled the border of “usable wood” and NUGWA vacillated on whether to keep, or throw them away. Unable to make my mind up right away, NUGWA put them aside.
NUGWA had no specific plans for them, but when NUGWA finally looked at them again, their dimensions were suggestive of a club and cane.
Both pieces also included some of the white-coloured sap-wood — that’s the part prone to rot and other damage, so most carvers don’t tend to use wood that includes sap-wood.
In carvings that are meant for outdoors the inclusion of sap-wood is a legitimate concern, but in today’s world, it’s not as big an issue because most contemporary carvings are destined for the indoors, or another protected environment.
With the longer piece, NUGWA decided to carve a more sculptural piece; starting with a smaller woodworm on top, adding a human CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA (skull), and decorating the length of the staff with a rope motif.
NUGWA am pleased with how things came naturally together — in particular, the CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA really adds a powerful presence and seemed appropriate to a shamanistic theme.
Lyle Wilson 2024
CA$4,900.00
Only 1 available
Reserve this artwork- Description
- Additional Information
- Artist Bio
Yellow Cedar wood, Abalone Shell
with Granite Base
47 x 1.75 x 1.75″
47 x 8 x 8″ (including base)
From a previous job NUGWA (I/me) had two skinny, off-cuts of KWANALAS (yellow cedar) — one long and one short. Both pieces kind of straddled the border of “usable wood” and NUGWA vacillated on whether to keep, or throw them away. Unable to make my mind up right away, NUGWA put them aside.
NUGWA had no specific plans for them, but when NUGWA finally looked at them again, their dimensions were suggestive of a club and cane.
Both pieces also included some of the white-coloured sap-wood — that’s the part prone to rot and other damage, so most carvers don’t tend to use wood that includes sap-wood.
In carvings that are meant for outdoors the inclusion of sap-wood is a legitimate concern, but in today’s world, it’s not as big an issue because most contemporary carvings are destined for the indoors, or another protected environment.
With the longer piece, NUGWA decided to carve a more sculptural piece; starting with a smaller woodworm on top, adding a human CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA (skull), and decorating the length of the staff with a rope motif.
NUGWA am pleased with how things came naturally together — in particular, the CHAACH-JOO-WA-QIA really adds a powerful presence and seemed appropriate to a shamanistic theme.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Beaver & Eagle Fish Bowl
Derek J. White
CA$8,000.00Sterling Silver; Repousse, Engraved
Derek White’s extraordinary Beaver & Eagle Fish Bowl, created in the traditional Haida form and utilizing the ancient technique of repousse to add dimension, demonstrates his articulate master carving and artistry skills. Containers such as bowls were traditionally created out of Cedar or Alder wood and utilized in daily life. The chosen medium of silver serves as a contemporary progression of this ancient art form while illustrating the intricate foundational links which combine cultural heritage with the arts.
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Halibut Pendant
Lyle Wilson
SOLDBoxwood, Sterling silver
As part of this exhibit NUGWA (I/me) decided to carve small, off-cut pieces of wood into a series of jewelry, because the medium of wood, itself, has an inherent beauty!
The HAISLA word for a pendant is NEE-CHA-WA — and the series of NEE-CHA-WA are carved at a fine jewelry-scale because NUGWA love wood and don’t want to throw away even small pieces of them. NUGWA first started in the jewelry field so when NUGWA got into carving wood, applying jewelry skills to such small pieces of wood was a “natural” progression.
This MOO-MOO-GA-JOO (halibut) is a specific crest belonging to two HAISLA clans: IKSDUQ’IYA (Eagle Clan) and the GEE-GA-JOAUCH (Beaver Clan).
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Heymas (Chief) Frontlet
Lyle Wilson
CA$9,100.00Yew Wood, 22 Abalone shell inlays, Acrylic paint
5 x 3.5 x 2.25″ (frontlet only)
8.25 x 3.5 x 2.75″ (including stand)NUGWA (I/me) have always admired the GEE-GEE-WA (frontlet) because they were usually strongly conceived, well-carved and usually featured a clan crest; or characters relating to clan history.
The GEE-GEE-WA is an important and highly prized ceremonial item — it’s attached to a head-piece that allows it to be seen on the forehead and has valuable additions that surround it: GILL-UM (ermine pelt), JUH-JES-PEE-CA (flicker) JILL-JILLCH (feather), and GLEE-CHAN (sea lion) whiskers.
The GEE-GEE-WA was used in a dance where the dancer shook his head at certain times during the dance; loosely contained within the ring of whiskers was the WACH-A-LA (down feather). The dancer’s head-shaking allowed the WACH-A-LA to float out into the air — this dance was often used to open a potlatch and by greeting guests in this manner, the hosting clan was signaling their peaceful intentions.
Often this dance is referred to as either a “HEY-MAS (chief) dance” or the “Peace Dance”.
After NUGWA (I/me) carved the older style “ANCESTOR” GEE-GEE-WA, NUGWA decided to carve a GLUMC (yew wood) version in a more modern style; featuring a HEY-MAS wearing his woven DIN-YAS (red cedar) headband with GIZUA (sun) GEE-GEE-WA attached.
Lyle Wilson 2024
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Ovoid Eyespot #6 Pendant: Human
Lyle Wilson
CA$5,800.0018K Yellow Gold, Abalone shell, Engraved, Textured, Repoussé, Chased
2012“For this series, the inspiration came from thinking about the eyespot markings on the wings of young skatefish; as such markings are credited with the beginning of the famous Pacific Northwest Coast (PNC) Ovoid. The original markings are solid black spots, encircled by a fine line.
I wanted to use the same circular format as a young skatefish’s markings as traditionally as can be, but with variations on each face. There’s a strong ‘pull’ that keeps an artist coming back to the more traditional, straightforward depictions of PNC faces. To those of us who grew up hunting, gathering and fishing, I think such a ‘pull’ is connected to that traditional upbringing; and that sort of familiarity makes us want to go back, just to remind us of our roots again.”
-Lyle Wilson, 2016