Still don't know except that I feel like I got hit by one of those old steam rollers, slowly embedded in the sidewalk.....and that is when I feel good!
I did just a post on the Postcard Project Blog, and I would love if you would go over and read it (and you know comment a little?)
Okay, the problem is that when trying to keep a birthday present a secret and moving lots of money around and meeting people and then being sick and having your partner read out all your emails except you have been emailing an artist for two weeks, then it sort of isn't THAT much of a secret anymore.
If you are going, "Huh?" - remember Jason Hunt, whose father made a totem pole for Buckingham Palace, and whose uncle made the Queen's Baton. Well, his average work is about $17,000. And he made a panel that Linda liked and it was still unsold unlike everything ELSE so I asked Cheryl to sneak back and ask how much it was and it was ONLY $6,000. Ouch. No, can't afford that Linda, even if you like it.
But I started email back and forth to Jason Hunt and in doing so I started to understand that this guy was the REAL DEAL. For example, when I asked what the Killer Whale meant, he said that what they say in gift shops is untrue, you can't just put one word on it. After we made an agreement for a commission, I asked him if he was going to add in some other things in the carving to represent us and he said, "No, I'm making the killer whale" - which was odd but true to art particularly when I got the REST of the story (keep reading).
In his nation, the Kwagiulth, when someone comes and a Potlatch is put on, the Killer Whale dance is done first with two dancers to represent the Killer Whales welcoming the canoes in. Since the Haida up north had an agreement with the Kwagiulth that they could go past the nation's territory to hunt for slaves, it meant the Kwagiulth were the second most feared nation. They used to be called the 'people who chop off your head', and supposedly one chief played soccer with another nation's chief head (these are the kind of stories that whether true or not make your people feared). So they were the bad boys of the Island.
It turns out you can't dance the Killer Whale dance unless your family has the RIGHT to that symbol. Jason and his brother danced the Killer Whale dance, as it requires two dancers, from a young age until the early 20's, and that is one reason why it shows up in his work. But if he was from a different family, a smaller, less important family and didn't have the Killer Whale as a family symbol: he COULDN'T draw the killer whale for us....because his father wouldn't let him (more on that!)
After many email Jason remembered that many years ago, he had made another panel, a smaller one for a couple's anniversary and it was only $1,600. Well it is Linda's Birthday and we had our 15th anniversary, so I said, 'Are you willing to do something like that?' As it was smaller (3 feet or 3.5 feet I think tall) but not tiny. He said after talking to me he could do it for under $1,000. The one he did for the couple is here, as he sent it to me in email.
As you can see the carving is quite deep and extensive which indicates the quality of the artist (only really long term artists carve deep as it takes a lot longer and you have to be RIGHT). But this is the one Linda was saying, "I like that" so who I am to argue?Personally, I think it is a piece that will grow on me the more I look at it, I like the left side but still warming up to the right side at present. But I like Linda and I like things that make her happy. This carving is not 'westernized' in any way, so you have to sort of become like another culture to understand. I went down and talked to Jason (and gave the deposit which I scraped up) about the carving and what the whale meant and the carving meant. e said that the red cedar will be brought down from Port Hardy (where his Nation is), for him to carve and will be done in about a month or so.
He explained that he is carving a representation of HIS right to have a killer whale. Because carving is hundreds of years old and traditional. His father, who worked under his grandfather, and his grandfather, will make sure he does it right, because it is part of the family name. So he is not giving us a 'version' of the killer whale but the carving tradition of several hundred years of his family and the Kwagiulth historical Killer Whale representation. This doesn't give US the right to carve it, as we have not been given that to our family name. For example, there are about 14-15 carvers but if the Long House needed a new mask, they would go to his father, because his father is THE CARVER, and his family has been that for many, many generations (which is why his father and his grandfather were asked to make the Totem pole to represent the Nation for the Royal Family). And when his father passes on, it will go to him. So it turns out, we are getting a 'Jason Hunt' while he is still in the four figure bracket (or in this case um, HIGH three figure). While I don't think his father takes commissions except from governments or maybe the Olympic committee.So...that is Linda's present. And yes, it was kind of crazy to say yes on the email when I did not have that money at the time, nor knew anything about him. But I had researched for a few days and his work was just FAR better than others. But still, crazy.
I need to sell stuff like my bike and save my allowences. But just because I have to sit really still in order to live now doesn't mean I still can't do crazy things still right? And to me, when Linda said, "I like it.", that was it. After she found out, sorta, I showed her the picture of the carving and she liked that carving too. Linda doesn't say, "I like that" out loud very often.If you want to assist in buying Linda a birthday/anniversary present (which is also going to be sort of an 'our life' memorial present too), Cheryl is taking care of the funds because of my memory problem. I have Cheryl's address for paypal and it is Rangergrrlkio@juno.com - so please send any donations for Linda's present there. If you do, then you too can be part of a 'Jason Hunt' and I will try to thank you for making the kindest caregiver I know, excited and happy.
I talked to Jason and he will send me pictures as the carving is going along so I can do more blogs, and as we talked for 40 minutes, I will tell you in other blogs more about what the Killer Whale means to him personally as well as his people.
I still find it amazing that here is this carver who has spent years working on his craft, and because he represents his nation, his father, the Master Carver, and representative of the Kwagiulth will come down and make Jason do OUR PANEL 'right'! And we met him at a FARMERS MARKET!
He says that his father says, "When you think the carving is done, then it is time to do it again, to go over every little piece that you don't feel is perfect, to make sure everything is absolutely perfect." It is kind of like mountain climbing; how when you reach the peak, you are only HALF done, because you still have to get safely down and back.
So you will see more of this 'surprise' over the next month as it gets developed, once the wood arrives. I am sort of excited and sort of "Oh SHIT! That's a LOT of money and what have I gotten myself in for!" But I think the excited and, "Hey, get busy putting more on ebay (I made about $100 last week)" and grateful knowing he isn't going to be emailing me on thursday going, "I'm done, do you have the rest of the money to deliver?" (NO! But by the time he finishes....yes!).
That is the news and that is my plan to do something wild and crazy while staying still. I have to go lie down now. I've been working on this blog for over seven hours now. So....um, not doing so great.
Have a great weekend and Happy Birthday to Linda (and anyone else who has a Birthday today).
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