David Stephens
Artist info
Four Faces of Raven
Western Redceder, Acrylic, Spruce Root, Silver Dollar, Chinese Cash-coin, Mirror, Brass Tacks
~14" x ~14" x ~16.5" H
$5500
- Bentwood Boxes are carved from one sheet of cedar, bent at each corner and stitched together with cedar roots
- Cedar naturally repells insects and acts a exceptionally functional storage box
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This box illustrates the best-known myth of the Northwest Coast. Raven hears of a thing called light that could illuminate the world, and make finding food easier. The light is owned by a chief who keeps stars, sun and moon in three bentwood boxes. Raven contrives to be born as the chief's grandson, steals and releases each of the three treasures. The four sides show Raven with an unopened box, and with stars, sun and moon.
Much of the point of this box is to use the same basic design, but to vary every detail. It was fun to experiment with different combinations.
The box is made of western redcedar, with spruce root lacing. I used a silver dollar for the sun, an antique Chinese cash-coin and mirror for the moon, and brass tacks for stars. Though this is, of course, a modern box, all of these materials were used a hundred and fifty years ago. This is both an old-time and modern-day tradition, so I don't suppose there's anything wrong with incorporating QuickTies or Superballs into this art, but I use old materials out of respect for "how they did it in the old days."
David Stephens
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