“Raven Hat”
12"h x 12"w. Private Collection. Carved from Western Red cedar with acrylic paint.Traditionally, hats such as this were worn by the nobility to display their crests, such as killer whales, eagles, beavers, ravens, etc. Raven is an important crest and is prominant in Northwest Coast native mythology and while this carved hat displays a raven, it is not a “crest hat” per ce.

Ravens are regular visitors around my home, where once there were none. Their calls can be heard pretty much throughout any day. While they don’t fly in flocks as do the crows, there are several individual ravens, as can be determined by the range and character of the voices. I don’t do a good job of impersonating them, but I do get them to answer my squawks, and it keeps them curious enough to linger a while. The largest raven I’ve had the fortune to see was on the dock in Prince Rupert, B.C. I’m sure it would have weighed in at at least six pounds. It’s wings were about five feet in length.

“Tufted Puffin”
10"h x 14"w. Tom and Linda Harris collection. Carved from alder with horse hair and acrylic paint.

"Tufted Puffin" top view

“Raven Warrior” Helmet
10"h x 10w. Bill Holm collection. Carved from Alder with horse hair and acrylic paing. Among other things, Bill Holm is a fantastic and prolific painter. One of my favorite works of his has always been “Raven Warrior”, a fine painting depicting a Tlingit war party in three canoes. In the bow of the lead canoe a warrior is standing, adorned in full armour and wearing a war helmet representing a raven. I thought it would be fun to someday get inside Bill's head, so to speak, and carve a real-life interpretation of that helmet.

I approached Bill on the subject of commisioning him to do a painting for me that would feature one of my canoes. He suggested that I do a carving in exchange for it, giving me liberty concerning the subject matter.

Some years passed and then I recieved a call from him during which he said that he was starting my painting. I dropped everything and carved this helmet. A short time later, we made our exchange and I was delighted with my painting. When I presented the helmet to him, he said. “This is great, I finally get to see what the back looks like”.

"Raven Warrior" painting	"Raven Warrior" painting

I agreed to make the helmet and visor, but suggested that he might have fun making the other items himself. I gave him photographs and drawings and demonstrated how to fabricate these things. He made a fine set of armor from yew wood slats laced together with small gauge seine twine.