Now here are some magnificent carvings

Frank Pellow

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Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Margaret and I just returned this weekend from a visit to British Columbia and Washington State. One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to Butchart Gardens in Victoria –in my opinion the best gardens in the world.

012 -Buchard Gardens -Sunken Garden from above -2 -small.JPG

They were in their full autumn splendour last week. This is my fifth visit extending back about 20 years and the gardens never cease to amaze me.

Now getting to the purpose of this thread. Two totem poles have been errected in the garden since my last visit and these impressed me more than any other totem poles that I have ever seen –and I have seen about 150 erected poles and 5 being carved.

Here is a photo of the two poles in context:

999 -Buchard Gardens -Both totem poles -small.JPG

Here is the pole with the raven at the top:

999 -Buchard Gardens -Eagle totem pole -small.JPG 999 -Buchard Gardens -Raven totem pole plaque -small.JPG

Here is the pole with the eagle at the top:

999 -Buchard Gardens -Raven totem pole -small.JPG 999 -Buchard Gardens -Eagle totem pole plaque -small.JPG

As you can see from the plaques, one was carved by Charles Elliott and one by Doug LaFortune and one by . My hat goes off to both of them.
 
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Hi Frank, glad you enjoyed your trip to Victoria and Butchart Gardens :)

I live about 65 miles north of Victoria in the city of Nanaimo.

I try to get down there any chance I get, lots to do and see in Victoria :thumb:
Have you ever heard of or seen Dunsmuir Castle?

I'm glad the native Indians (First Nations People) have managed to keep the art of totem carving alive. They really are beautiful works of art. ;):)
 
Hi Frank.

I was starting to miss your posts!
I'm glad you're back and enjoyed your trip!
The totems are fantastic! thanks for posting them!.

Now that you have the model, when are you going to make one at smaller scale for your grandchildren? That would be a good complement to the building blocks!:thumb:
 
Hi Frank, glad you enjoyed your trip to Victoria and Butchart Gardens :)

I live about 65 miles north of Victoria in the city of Nanaimo.

I try to get down there any chance I get, lots to do and see in Victoria :thumb:
Have you ever heard of or seen Dunsmuir Castle?

I'm glad the native Indians (First Nations People) have managed to keep the art of totem carving alive. They really are beautiful works of art. ;):)

Jim, I visited Dunmuir Castle about 30 years ago. But, I have no desire to see it again unlike many of the other things to see on Vancouver Island which I can never get enough of.
 
Hi Frank.

I was starting to miss your posts!
I'm glad you're back and enjoyed your trip!
The totems are fantastic! thanks for posting them!.

Now that you have the model, when are you going to make one at smaller scale for your grandchildren? That would be a good complement to the building blocks!:thumb:
I would very much like to attempt carving of cedar the way that the first nations people of the west coast do. Among other things, I am part native North American and cedar is my favourite wood.

Courses are available and I will probably eventually getaround to taking one. What I would like to tackle is a decorated cedar box. Here is a picture of one that we purchased in British Columbia about 15 years ago:

DSC_0736.JPG
 
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