Corvids, black, impish and clever, capture the imagination, as evidenced by their appearance in mythologies the world over: in Aboriginal myths, Raven attempts to steal fire from the seven sisters (the Pleiades); in European tradition, Raven is associated with wisdom and prophecy; in Greece, she is seen as messenger of the Sun Gods. For many, raven is a harbinger of danger. In our Northwest Native American lore, this mischievous trickster steals the sun.
The steps to bring this fascination to life start with an evolution of sketches, pass through developing jigs and sawing techniques for curved panels, and the careful piecing of each feather detail. Spinning the copper disc was an art performed by a master turner shop-mate. Insert brass pins were chosen for floating the curved, carved corvid over the spun copper sun. Black Wenge has been the wood of choice for the ravens appearing in my work over the years: a prefect wood for raven feathers.
May you find light in darkness.
