American Wigeon -Drake:porcupine quill coiled sweetgrass basket:P St.John-Mohawk

Description

American Wigeon Duck (drake) by Paul St John, Mohawk craftsman.  -  Photo of
American Wigeon
duck is 3rd photo in the slideshow above.  (Paul St John is doing a series of waterfowl baskets - More on this website!)
These ducks are found throughout the USA - but mostly in the Northwest and northern plains in summer, all southern areas into Mexico in winter.
This oval basket
has birch bark at center of lid and used as the bottom -  then coiled tidal sweetgrass on sides and at rim of cover.  It is 5.25" long,  4.25" across and 2.25" high.  The birch bark medallion at center top is 4" long by 3" wide.
Paul uses natural white quills with dyed black, dyed
variegated grey
, dyed
variegated
mahogany brown, and dyed variegated green as well as the natural white quill with darker tips to get the duck, eye, beak, tail and plumage perfectly.  There are 2 cattails in the background and duck sits on dyed blue quill "water".  There is a white border of natural quill around the birchbark medallion.  Paul has left some of the darker tips on  - makes an interesting border.
Last photo in slideshow is of Paul and a friend.  -  Photo illustrates Paul's real connection with the creatures he depicts in his work  Paul St. John lives in Maine, his mother is Passamaquoddy.  He grew up on the Mohawk lands in New York, his father's homeland and is an enrolled Mohawk tribal member.  - When I saw his work I knew immediately I needed to offer his great baskets.  While quill work and coiled sweetgrass baskets are  historically Maine Indian traditional crafts, currently no one but Paul St. John is actively practicing this craft.  -  Passamaquoddy basketmakers, Jeremy Frey and Otter, both have used some quill work on their baskets...  but quill work on coiled sweetgrass baskets are Paul St John's specialty.
Watch this store for more of his pieces.  Can't wait to see what he is going to create next.