Eagle First Nations Cane

Colin_Partridge · #1 03-07-2006, 12:13 PM

Goodmorning Gang,
I know that I have been absent latley from the message board but that doesnt mean I am not carving. I was as you know in Ridgway PA for a week and now back home waiting for this mountain of snow to go away so I can get back to my big carvings again. Not that it is too cold but all my logs are buried under that moutain of snow. So while I wait for spring I decided to do a little cane carving. This is a stick that I fished out of a beaver dam that the beavers had chewed. You all know my passion for native art and I was inspired when Alfie Fishgap sent me an email when I was afraid of offending the First Nations peoples by trying to do native carvings. At that time Alfie told me that it being native isnt all about blood it is a calling. So I decided to to do this eagle cane with native symbols of the Haida West Coast peoples style. Funny enough I started this cane before I recieved my latest copy of WCI I should have waited. Bob you know him as Bobs Birds had done an eagle cane similar to the one I did and he was my inspiration to do this one. In fact he cut out the eagle head for me and gave me some hints on how to do it. Here are some pictures of the cane so far it is still very much in progress. Of course as usual I ask you for you opinion I am always open to suggestions nothing offends me I love to learn.
Colin

Kenny_S · #2 03-07-2006, 12:25 PM

That is so kewel Colin. Love the First Nation Theme. Of course Canada's first Nation and the States First Nation are a ;ittle different. But Kewel none the less. I like it.
I am still carving a little on my Eagle head cane and have draped " Stars and Stripes"
Carved in the shaft. However, I have not been back to it for several months.
Yours has inspired me. Maybe now I can finish it.

Thanks Colin.

Irishman · #3 03-07-2006, 01:29 PM

I have always had an appreciation for Native art. Last year I attempted to use my kid's burning kit and burn an Inuit symbol onto one of my Greenland paddles I made. As you can see from the pic, I have a lot to learn as I don't know how to burn properly, and I had never even consider carving as a hobby at that point. I'm hoping to do more so if you know of a good site with Native art to share, I'd appreciate it. I've visited Alfie's site and was quite impressed.
Patrick

squbrigg · #4 03-07-2006, 02:33 PM

Well done Colin....you've stepped outside your safe zone and embarked on a new voyage of expression! I love the designs on the shaft, they highlight the eagle so well. Can you post some more pics of the eagle? Perhaps we can give you some pointers on finishing it some as you go along? Hard to tell much from the one shot.

Bob

Marci MN · #5 03-07-2006, 05:22 PM

I like that stick!! I too am working on one from the latest issue. I'm waiting for the eyes to arrive. LOL And then I'm going to have the puzzle on how to attatch it to the stick I've picked out.

Thanks for showing yours.. I'm inspired again to keep working on mine.

Mottles · #6 03-07-2006, 07:32 PM

Well, my opinion is one beautiful artistic cane and I love the title. It's wonderful Colin that you can carve other things than big tree spirits. Soooo when the winter snows come you can stay nice and warm inside carving canes and other subjects.
Good Job,
Kathy

Patrick, good go on the woodburning.

Kenny_S · #7 03-07-2006, 07:41 PM

Patrick, that isn't anything to be ashame of. I too have not burned much and have lots to learn about it as well as carving. But from the picture looks to me like a fine job.

Keep at it!

Lightningbolt · #8 03-07-2006, 08:13 PM

Yes, it is good to see you working on a beautiful walking stick when, as I recall, it was last winter about this time when you were in a carving "rut" without much carving fever. And now there is a mountain of snow outside with all your logs underneath and here you're producing a great stick! Nice to see you in a mood to "Get R Done"!! Not to put you in another rut but the weather here is just too nice and the N.C. mountains are suppost to be in the upper 70's this weekend, but I'll be in Alabama so who care's?!!

Your stick is really nice and I also have a great respect for the native art of the coastal tribes from Washington, British Columbia, and into Alaska. I have several books from when I have traveled there over the years and especially back in the 80's I was studying it quite hard.

Just curious, but I was wondering if that eagle head was attached to the stick and if so, how did you do it? I've used both dowel rods and the all-thread steel rod methods and was just curious.

Looks like you're having some fun with the woodburning pen too. Too bad it's not hot enough to go melt loose your beloved logs from that mountain of snow!! :-)

Bartster · #9 03-07-2006, 09:37 PM

colin,

great looking cane, i cant decide what i like best your big carvings or your sticks,

thanks for posting

bart

Colin_Partridge · #10 03-08-2006, 12:08 PM

Dave the eagle head needs much more work it is only resting on the top of the stick to show what it will look like. I intend to drill out the center and attatch it by the use of a dowel. I also will be adding more native animals to the stick I will update the progress as I go. Thanks for all the nice comments.
Colin