Wood carvings, cut and decorated with designs around the theme of taking a journey, have gone on display at the Sayle Gallery.

Formally better known for his large totemic pieces, which feature rough-hewn chisel marks and other such textural, naturally-inspired works of art, wood carver and sculptor Gavin Carter has produced a series of much smaller carvings and assemblages.

Many of the pieces contained in the display represent a journey in some way, from motifs of labyrinths and paths through to pieces adorned with material picked up while walking through the Lake District.

’There are a series of wall hanging discs, one featuring a labyrinth,’ said Gavin. ’Of course a labyrinth itself is a representative journey, a contemplative journey that people would take. The idea of them goes back thousands of years.

’The configuration I use tends to be the original form that was found on rock carvings up to 4000 years ago.’

Gavin has taken this idea of timelessness and history and merged them with aspects of Manx folklore

’There is a piece here with what looks like a yin-yang symbol, but is actually two ravens.

’They are Odin’s Ravens, called Huginn and Muninn. I’ve called the piece the Ravens journey because on the other side of that I put a labyrinth.’

’I’ve also done an abstract figure piece out of some very interesting grained wood, which is a complete departure with something I’ve never done before.

’It was destined for the fire. But when I split it, it fractured in a really interesting way.

’A lot of these pieces are inspired purely by the grain that you can see in it. It is made of three separate pieces that I have put together, all from the same piece of wood.

’It puts me in the mind of say a samurai warrior or something similar by its profile.

It is very different for me and really enjoyed doing it. It might be something that I might develop in the future.’

Gavin’s work is on display at the Sayle Gallery until mid-October.

by Mike Wade

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