While in Homer, Alaska, last week, I bought myself a couple of souvenirs handmade by local artists.
The bracelet is carved from birch. It was made by artist George Overpeck. He spends his summers commercial fishing in Bristol Bay and kitesurfing on Kachemak Bay. His winters are occupied with woodturning in Homer.
Most of his work is done with the Betula kenaica, a variety of white birch that is unique to the Kenai peninsula. The bracelet is amazingly light and I love how clear the patterning in the wood is.
The necklace is scrimshawed by artist Brian Burns on a piece of ancient mammoth tusk. Scrimshaw is a type of etching in a which a line is scratched onto the piece then filled by pigment. Brian Burns practices his art and works on boats in Homer, Alaska. He is an avid hiker and explorer and collects many of the materials he uses in his work.
Being mammoth ivory, it means that this is 15,000+ years old. Wow. It kind of boggles my mind. I was told that you can tell it is from the elephant family because of the striation pattern on the bottom.
The post Handmade Alaska Souvenirs is by Tuesday Stitches. If you have found it elsewhere, please let her know!
