Circle of Life - Bison rib bone carving closeupTalas Art Pendant Carvings are works of art created in prehistoric wooly mammoth ivory and other fossil and natural materials. Fossil mammoth ivory offers unsurpassed colors and textures after thousands of years of absorbing minerals from the ground or water where it is found. When carved, this prized material can be polished to produce a beautiful finished piece richly tinted by the earth's minerals. My handcrafted pendants of animals, birds, and ancient symbols are known for the intricate details that highlight the unique features of each image. Many are inlaid with crushed stone including turquoise, red jasper, malachite and pyrite. I also add ground metals such as brass, bronze sterling silver and copper to create stunning highlights that make each pendant very special. Some of the finishing touches include natural stone accents, adjustable cord sliders made of sterling silver, brass or copper on high quality leather cord. The cords are fully adjustable for your desired length. All of my pendant designs can be ordered and special requests are always welcomed. Every carving is an original. Though similar carvings with the same design can be created, each will reflect the specific colors of the raw material, and no two pendants are ever just alike.
My wildlife carvings are created in naturally shed antler, prehistoric wooly mammoth and ancient walrus fossils. All of the materials I work with are naturally found in wild places including Alaska, Canada and other areas in the US. For the base or stand of the sculpture I typically use wood burl slabs that compliment the carving. The imagery and themes I choose represent my deep love and reverence for all of the creatures who have walked the earth from ancient times to present day.
Each carving is a methodical and slow process ~ from creating the design, transferring it onto the raw piece, to cutting, shaping and stepping back to evaluate my progress. Natural materials are mysteries – not one will be the same in color or texture and I never know what an inner layer will unfold. My hope is that these carvings offer a connection to the beauty and essence of the animals who have blessed our planet.
ALASKAN AND SIBERIAN MAMMOTH IVORY reflect the warmth of the earth in cream colors that hold blue and brown tones offering depth and richness in coloration. Tusks of the ancient wooly mammoth are breaking through the permafrost in Alaska and Siberia, and are found in massive bone fields that extend for considerable distances.
NORTH SEA MAMMOTH IVORY is some of the oldest and rarest, averaging 40,000 years, and is the most costly because of limited availability. It possesses astoundingly bold and beautiful colors reflecting the mineralization of wooly mammoth remains that have been submerged beneath the North Sea for thousands of years.
MAMMOTH TOOTH has unsurpassed colors running through the plate structures. Colors can range from tan to blue and cream. Mammoth tooth is a challenging material to carve, yet allows for a truly unique and beautiful pendant carving.
MAMMOTH BONE is found alongside other mammoth remains. Mammoth bone makes for a beautiful carving material. Colors range from dark brown to gray and displays the cellular structure of the once living animal.
FOSSIL WALRUS IVORY is mostly found buried in the frozen ground along the Arctic coasts of Alaska and St. Lawrence Island and has been dated as being more than 1000 years old. Like the wooly mammoth ivory, this precious material offers rich earth tones of creams and browns.
NATURALLY SHED ANTLER materials provide a unique canvas to create the beauty of wildlife in a piece of the animals that make the outdoors and wilderness so special. The free form shape, curves, and bone quality of antlers are themselves a work of art, offering opportunities to have the details of each carving come to life.
BLACK JET FOSSIL GEMSTONE formed during the Jurassic period in history when an individual trees and branches washed into a body of water, became waterlogged and sunk to the bottom. After billions of years being covered by rich organic sediment they harden into a stone like material. Black jet is a wonderful carving material. My Raven pendant is created in in black jet.
The tools
Many of the tools and equipment I use are similar to those used by woodworkers, jewelers and even dentists. My studio is well equipped with everything I need to create my work. Trial and error and an open mind to trying new techniques has been invaluable in this work.
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