Kokopelli - abstract wood sculpture

Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player (often with feathers or antenna-like protrusions on his head), who has been venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States. ... He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music. When I lived in the SW, he was my favorite kachina. He measures 15" tall, 9" wide and 5" deep.

This is a Red Cedarwood sculpture on a stained mahogany base, with lemon oil & polyurethane finish. I collected the aged Cedar in the woodlands down the street from my home on Cape Cod.

When I work wood with my rotary tools, the piece often shapes itself, meaning that certain rotted parts break away. I'm never sure what will be revealed. After shaping and sanding the figure, I coat it with lemon oil to bring out the beautiful cedar colors. Then I spray it with polyurethane to preserve and protect the piece. That also saves you the trouble of having to re-oil every few months.

Eastern Red Cedar wood is widely known for its heartwood, which tends to be red or violet in color. Its sapwood is a pale yellow color and can appear throughout the heartwood as streaks and stripes. Known as the “Tree of Life” by Native Americans, the Eastern red cedar was and still is used in ceremonies. Eastern red cedar has been called the “red stick”.

I hope you love my work as much as I love making it.