FROGS ON A LOG
 ACRYLICS ON CEDAR W/ RED OAK FRAME
(WINTER 2014) 

     We were visiting Eastsound on Orcas Island and saw an interesting object in a window in one of the local shops.  At the time I thought it would make an interesting frame for a small painting.  The object turned out to be a wooden hand-carved tapestry hanger by Thai artist/artisan Yodchai Saelor (see http://www.novica.com/ for artisan information and items designed by him).  Once I had designed my frame, the next step was to design the small painting that would be housed in it.  Leigh had recently reminded me of the “fuzzy log” down at Ozette upon which many of us sat, talking and watching the incoming waves.  This huge log was covered in mosses and was so large that incoming waves were unable to dislodge it for years.  That’s why it made a perfect seat for us.  Thus, for my painting, I decided to paint this Ozette scene but with frogs as the main characters.  Frogs are particular favorites of ours and this early spring has brought out their croaking “conversations”.  This design idea was further enhanced by a discussion with friends Bob and Jim over lunch.  Bob talked about sitting on such a log and valuing the importance of silence and the art of listening.  Thus, the central figure in my painting represents the listener, whose act is the key to any good conversation.  The dragonflies represent the swirling conversation as the frogs sit and talk on the log.  Once I had designed and painted this scene, I was reminded of a totem pole from up north that had three frogs on it.  The Tlingit pole sat on Chief Shakes Island and was a “ridicule” pole intended to humiliate a local rival clan in Old Wrangell village (see Edward L. Keithahn, Monuments in Cedar, ©1963, page 56, for the story about the Three Frogs pole).  My painting does not have this ridicule message but it is an unintentional but interesting connection.  As in a Japanese wood-block print, I wanted my design to be composed of blocks of color with minimal detail.  I made the frame out of red oak using pegged, hand-joined, mortise-and-tenon construction methods.  I used the Japanese technique (shou-sugi-ban) of charring and oiling the oak to finish the frame.

DIMENSIONS:           LENGTH:  30 ¾ inches
                                    HEIGHT:  13 ¾ inches

                                                            PRICE $300

Chief Shakes Island 3 Frogs “ridicule” pole