Celtic and Norwegian Works
From the teachings of my Northwest Coast mentors I have blended the mask making style of the First Nations with my heritage of Irish, Scottish and Norwegian to create something totally new and original.
dated 2007 until 2010
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Embracing the Spirit of the Flame
2010
In February of 2010 Shane Tweten and Simon Daniel James began work on a sculpture, paid for by the Canadian Heritage Association and commissioned by the Bowen Island Chamber of Commerce. The statue was to commemorate the spirit that the Olympic torch brought with it when it passed through Bowen Island. Through the sculpture Simon and Shane saw this as an opportunity to showcase the spirit in which a diverse community can exist as one through struggle and compromise. This artwork entwined two separate cultures on a single piece of art and through synergy has become a symbol of an embracing attitude we feel towards others. Though struggling to coexist in one place the characters accommodate one another in a blending of balance and harmony creating beauty in itself.
The dragon laced with Celtic knot work signifies Shane's Norwegian and Celtic Heritage and Simon has blended the traditional teachings of the First Nations with a contemporary form line and overall design. This blending of the First Nations Sisiult and the Celtic Dragon is unique and stands alone in pioneering the unexplored regions of blending arts from culture, from two separate artists. The two wood carving and painting styles differentiate from one another yet compliment each other in mix of texture and brush stroke.
Celtic Eagle Mask
2010Hand carved from Western red cedar, painted with acrylics and adorned with feathers, this piece now belongs in a private collection.
Celtic Eagle II
2010This piece was handcarved from red cedar, painted with acrylics and adorned with feathers. The eagle is mentioned in many celtic myths and legends.
Norse Ale Bowl
2010Made from alder this is a replication of a Norse ale bowl. These bowls were used to send off a great warrior or someone of royal stature. The ale bowl would be placed upon the coffin and all would take a sip of mead in their honor. This bowl is left natural although it is oiled and waxed for protection.
Belenos
2010Belenos, later known as Beli Mawr (the Great), was the Celtic God of the Sun, representing the curative powers of the Sun’s heat. His festival of Beltane, when bonfires were lit to welcome in the Summer and encourage the Sun’s warmth, was held on May 1st, and is remembered in today's May Day festivities. It has been suggested the Welsh form of his name, Beli Mawr, lived on into Arthurian romance as King Pellinore of Listinoire. This mask was made from Red Cedar, horse hair, pounded copper, acrylic paint and an oil and wax finish.
Viking Ornament
2009Based on an ancient Viking ornament, this piece is handcarved from western red cedar and is oiled and waxed for preservation.
Smiling Greenman
2009This Greenman was hand carved from red cedar, painted with acrylics, oiled and waxed. The teeth are shelll inlayed in the mouth.
Norse Dragon
2009The dragon is an important figure in many cultures, and a primary one in Norse legend and myth. The mighty viking ships had bow sprits ornately carved with dragons heads and armor was decorated with the intimidating creatures. This piece was handcarved using red cedar, deer antler, mountain goat hide, painted with acrylics and an oil and wax combination.
Cernunnos
2008Cernunnos is made from yellow cedar, deer antlers, horse hair, acrylic paint and finished with an oil and wax finish. This mask represents the Celtic god, Cernunnos, who was the god of life, death, and re-birth. He was originally depicted surrounded by forest animals holding a snake in one hand and a ring in the other.
The Oak King
2008The Oak King was part of a Celtic legend of the changing of seasons. As the winter approached the oak would lose his leaves thus leaving the holly king as the dominent ruler through winter. When the spring came and the leaves began burst forth from the oak, this became the ruling time of the mighty oak. Hand carved from red cedar this mask features pounded copper leaves, acrylic paint and an oil and wax finish.
Maple Leaf Spirit
2007Maple was a wood used primarily as a staple for Norwegian carved bowls, ladles and carvings. As a majority of the trees grown on the Northwest Coast, the big leaf maple is one of the predominant features of our landscape in British Columbia. I found this leaf on a walk with my family and was inspired when thinking of this one leaf was a major function to keep this tree alive. Without leaves trees won’t grow, through the process of photosynthesis a tree survives with the collaboration of leaves generating enough energy to produce sugar out of starches, providing the tree nutrients to survive. A tree uses leaves to achieve a certain goal as does our society. I carved this mask as a tribute to all the people who aid our society and go unnoticed for, as a whole, the great things they produce. Together as a whole we comfort each other in the challenges that face us, and acting as whole to achieve one goal gives us the support we need to fulfill this goal. This mask was made from red cedar, yellow cedar, abalone type shell,and acrylic paint.
Equinox Greenman
2007A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Commonly used as a decorative architectural ornament, Green Men are frequently found on carvings in churches and other buildings The Green Man motif has many variations.The mighty questions of who, what and why ( the search for a meaning behind the symbol ) have no answer, yet the lack of substantial evidence leaves the significance open to individual interpretation. This mask was taken a step further beyond the traditional Green Man and I brought the element of season change to incorporate into it. Each side represents a change in season as within each of us a change of attitude or understanding. This mask was made from red cedar, peacock feathers, acrylic paint and horse hair.
Spirit of the North Wind
2007Made from Western Red Cedar, English Holly and Bigleaf Maple this mask was painted with acrylics, adorned with haorse hair and has an oil and wax finish.