Corey Bulpitt – Commissions

COREY BULPITT COMISSIONS

Corey Bulpitt, known as Taakeit Aaya or “Gifted Carver” in Haida, is one of the most successful young Northwest Coast artists. Through his work, Corey brings a fresh perspective to an ancient tradition, connecting a broader audience to an artistic genre otherwise pushed to the fringes.

He has generated widespread acclaim for his totem pole carvings. Corey’s work embodies a precision and attention to detail few carvers are able to master. Working with the woodgrain to bring out its natural beauty, he successfully shapes complex forms into a visual story.

EDENSHAW DEVELOPMENTS LOGO PANEL

Corey Bulpitt took Edenshaw Developments existing logo and worked it into this one of a kind panel design. He then did a limited edition print series for corporate gifts.

Edenshaw Developments logo Panel, 2013
Exclusive limited edition prints, 2013

THE EAGLE LANDED SHOW

This piece is urban inspired. Corey’s master carving skills are apparent in the clean lines of the majestic Eagle with the ancestor face on the tail feathers gazing up towards the heavens.

When he was able to salvage a telephone pole he knew this was where Eagle needed to perch. The pole and the Eagle became one piece and a symbol for communication across culture, a symbol of Corey’s own urban and Haida roots.

The Eagle Landed, 2013, Red Cedar, 138″ x 32″ x 32″, $18,000

STONERIBS

This is the pole story as told by Corey: “This pole is a representation of the Haida myth about Stoneribs a Haida Strongman. In this myth his 8 brothers are eaten by the giant mythical crab named K’uust’aan. Distraught Stoneribs searches for a way to fight the giant creature and retrieve his brothers. He sees an Eagle holding a Halibut with a copper tail and fins indicating it is a supernatural halibut. As he watches the Eagle drops the fish into a tidal pool near him. Stoneribs quickly retrieves the Halibut and takes it into the forest to try and skin it knowing the skin of supernatural beings have powers. After a few failed attempts to skin the creature properly he is finally successful. He is now able to wear the skin and become a supernatural X’aaguu or Halibut himself. He sets forth on many quests against supernatural beings and finally gathers the skills he needs to fight K’uust’aan. In his supernatural Halibut form he can shrink and expand at will and uses this to his advantage. He shrinks and gets caught in the giant crabs pincers and then expands to break them. He then shrinks again and is swallowed by K’uust’aan. This time when he grows he breaks him up from the inside. He gathers his brothers bones from inside K’uust’aan and uses shamanistic medicine which brings his brothers back to life”.

How to read the pole – The poles main figure is that of a halibut with his head at the bottom of the pole and his tail is at the top with Stoneribs himself looking on with confidence and pride as he has just rescued his brothers who are represented in the 8 faces that are seen on the back of the giant fish. Three of these are full frontal view carved faces and 5 are side profile faces carved around the halibuts body and the three frontal view faces. The pole uses adze texturing and knife finish to show the skills of the carver. No sanding is involved on the whole surface. It has been left natural (without paint) to show the beauty of the natural wood grain as it changes from the carved surfaces creating beautiful swirls and patterns, again also showing the skills involved in completing the carving.

Stoneribs, 2013, Red Cedar, 132″ x 28″ x 13″, $65,000

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