Northwest Coast artisans developed an ingenious woodworking technique, which involves grooving, steaming and bending a single wooden plank to form the sides of a box. Three corners of the box are bent and the fourth is pegged, or tied (or more recently glued) and a bottom is added. Artists decorate these boxes with shallow relief carving and / or use paint to add designs, and sometimes inlay surfaces with pieces of shell and metal. Lids are commonly left undecorated, although some feature an inlaid border of opercula. Boxes are typically made from cedar (red or yellow) or spruce. The boxes are prized possessions, customarily used to house wealth and ceremonial objects. Storage boxes for more mundane articles might be painted with crest and story motifs, but generally do not have extensive carving. Lidless boxes might serve as cooking and food-serving vessels. Mortuary boxes and coffins were also produced this way. People often give names to their decorated boxes, tell stories about their histories and treat them as important heirlooms.
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Loon Bowl Laurence Scow Native Carving - Loon Bowl by Laurence Scow c2009 Native Bowl - Loon Bowl by Laurence Scow c2009 The Loon is usually found on the top on... |
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Loon Bowl Laurence Scow Native Carving - Loon Bowl by Laurence Scow c2009 Native Bowl - Loon Bowl by Laurence Scow c2009 The Loon is usually found on the top on... |
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