Hand Carved & Painted Bentwood Box by James Michels

Created with a combination of hand carving and painting this beautiful bentwood box by Metis/Cree artist James Michels with glorious red and yellow cedar is definitively West Coast! The form of the Raven is abstracted in a curling series of formline panels around the body of the box that are intricately carved and painted to capture Raven's ability to transform and shape the world around it. 

James Michels began his carving career in 1994, shortly after working as a carpenter. He now specializes in making bentwood cedar boxes, and carving and painting them in Northwest Coast style. Many of his pieces contain inlays of abalone. He also creates panels, works by commission and every year he is a key contributor to Lattimer Gallery's Annual Charity Bentwood Box Event.

Bentwood Boxes are unique to the Northwest Coast First Nations Peoples of British Columbia and are used for ceremonial and practical purposes; from burial boxes for ancestors to storage of clothing and household items. Bentwood Boxes are made by seamlessly steam bending a plank of cedar to create the box form. Lattimer Gallery hosts a stunning collection of handcarved Bentwood Boxes. Check them out at Lattimer Gallery online. 

The Raven is the transformer and the creator, Raven placed the sun and moon in the sky so the world would have light and also put the trees on land and fish in water. This primordial creature opened the clamshell to release the first man. He is known for his knowledge, trickery and creativity.

Dimensions: 5" x 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Materials: Red & Yellow Cedar, Acrylic

Each bentwood box comes with information on the design and a biography on the artist. 

MADE IN CANADA

At Lattimer Gallery we work directly with our artists to provide the highest quality, authentic art from across British Columbia. Please Allow 3-8 weeks if the item needs to be custom ordered.