Local myths

the long version

The carvings in these photographs all stand about two feet tall, and are composed of mixed hardwoods, finished to show their natural colors. The series grew out of a previous exhibition called A Spirit Procession(1996), which was a parade of masked figures carrying symbolic objects. The spirit kept marching on and began to dance. Each piece, as it appeared, mirrored the time of year and the mood of the moment. It became apparent this was a calendrical cycle of carvings. The Cathance Dancers celebrating the seasons. The tales illustrate these carvings. The sculpture came first, and mean many things if they mean anything. The stories were written after all the pieces were finished. They are a different act of imagination set in the same place. If you find the carvings tell you a different story, your̕e right. --- From Introduction