“Orca”
10'h x 3'w. Pete and Meredith Wagner collection. Carved from very close- grained, light-hued, old-growth Western Red Cedar. The material for this piece was selected by the client, who is one of the partners in Pacific Western Timber. The cedar was truly the finest I have ever had the pleasure to work with.

I assumed that this carving would be painted and was more than a little disgruntled when told by the client, half way through the job, that he didn’t like paint on wood. However,working with this piece of cedar was an absolute joy and once it was completed and placed in the Wagner home, we were of the mutual opinion that it was better without color.

I generally make detailed drawings for a project like this. It allows the client a preview, as well as helping any assistants visualize where we’re going. In this case, my apprentice Dave Franklin and I worked from a very rough sketch and just went for it, designing as we went. Sometimes the magic just seems to work. It’s one of my favorites.

A Cherokee man who was a fantastic flute player was present at the installation party and asked if he could bless the carving. I thanked him for the offer, but said that I felt the tree had been blessed by something higher and whatever it had been had come through to the carvers, the proof being in the finished product. Represented from top to bottom are a raven, a bear in the moon, flukes of an orca, a red tailed hawk, two king salmon, and the head and pectoral fins of the orca.

"Orca" Raven detail	"Orca" Red Tail Hawk detail	"Orca" Salmon detail	"Orca" Orca head detail

“Seeking the Light”

10'h x 3'w. Rick Crandall collection. Carved from western red cedar with acrylic paint. I was touched by an account the client related to me regarding his son at the age of eight years. The boy was snorkeling in Hawaii when a dolphin swam up to him and gently took hold of his foot. Pulling his foot loose, he swam around and grasped the tail of the porpoise who made no effort to flee. Instead the two continued swimming, alternating their roles for a time. This experience had a lasting effect on him. Apparently the boy is very intelligent with a curious nature, never tiring of learning. The sun on this pole represents light and is a metaphor for knowledge, which the boy seeks. Other representations on this pole are a thunderbird, two oystercatchers, mountain sheep, frog, waves, and anonymous floral details, all of which have special significance for the client.

"Seeking the Light" conceptual sketch

The client wanted an interior house post and wasn’t particularly concerned as to what would be portrayed on it, with the exception of wanting a killer whale. I have represented killer whales in this general way often. Years ago, I worked as a Northwest Coast Native Art instructor at the K’san project in northern British Columbia. One of my most adept students was Walter Harris, chief of the village of Kispiox and the house of Gayhl, of which the Killer Whale is one of the main prerogatives. Walter and I became close friends over the period of a year and a half. Some time after my departure Walter carved a beautiful replica of a nineteenth- century crest pole belonging to his house. I attended his potlatch to witness the raising of his totem pole. At the occasion a name from his house was given to me. I use this motif out of respect to Walter Harris.

"Sea Hunter" Hunter detail	"Sea Hunter" Blowhole detail

I made very detailed drawings for this project because there were to be three assistants helping me, Pat Huggins, Loren White, and Scott Jensen. I drew front, side, 3/4 views and lots of cross sections. In this way the client, the contractor and all the carvers can see exactly what the end product should look like.

Disney Pole in Progress	Disney Pole Working Drawing

It was eventually agreed by all involved that Helen's father and siblings, as well as the Hatches' three daughters, would be portrayed as humans. With tongue-in-cheek, the votes were counted in favor of endowing Helen’s mother with the form of a grizzly bear, apparently due to her personality. Helen herself is in the form of an eagle and holds a speakers' staff as a symbol of her position as the family matriarch. Marshall is in the guise of a raven and all the grandchildren are represented as salmon. The family dog is portrayed as himself.

A great blue heron has been a permanent resident at the Hatches' summer beach home and has special significance for them. A representation of him surmounts the pole on this site.

I was assisted on this project by Pat huggins and Debbie Knight.

Hatch Pole (different caption)	Duane Pasco working on Hatch totem pole.