A blog by the renowned master artist Robert Davidson on Northwest Coast art
Quality takes time, allows time for thinking. Thinking develops maturity of the end product. Too many great ideas are stunted by rushing to completion.
Knowing and acting on it are two different things.
When one masters the principles developed by the Old Masters of Haida and Northwest Coast art, after ten- to twelve- thousand hours of practice the creations become intuitive.
Excuses: If one is as creative in resolving a situation as they are in making excuses they will be further ahead.
Being on time: When one needs to be at a certain place and time, why not be on time?
How do we relearn how to work with what we have and expand on it?
The Ancients developed canoe making by stretching the craft beyond the girth of the tree. The same can be said about weaving baskets and hats from spruce roots and cedar bark—the weaving of Chilkat and Ravenstail blankets and dance aprons from mountain goat fur and cedar bark and so on.
After the market for the canoe-making industry fell, many of the canoe makers adapted to a new economy of building plank-boats such as schooners and trolling, seiner and row boats.
Know that we are capable of the same genius.
—Robert Davidson
