The Mermaid's Chair:
I liked the holes in the piece of cedar driftwood which forms the back of the chair, because they presented an opportunity to carve a piece of long bull kelp to snake up through and wrap around the top of the chair. The kelp leaves stretch out to one side to suggest movement, as if the whole chair is under water in a current. To me, this suggests strength as the chair stands solid against whatever forces bind it, push on it, or eat through it. The strength devolves upon the person who sits in the chair.
The arms and front legs are carved in the shape of fish. The seat is shaped like a whale fluke, or a mermaid's tail. The leaves of the kelp are like a woman's hair, hence the "Mermaid's Chair". The wood is red cedar and yellow cedar. The Mermaid's Chair stands about 74" tall. It was my entry in Sooke Fine Arts 2003.
Whale Flukes Bench:
The Whale Flukes Bench borrows the tail-flipper-as-a-seat from the Mermaid's Chair. Whales must be free. Consequently, nothing in the design of this bench could impede or cross the apparent direction of motion. The supports of the bench are themselves whales, and their dorsal fins form the backrests. I carved out some red cedar knots and fitted them around the dorsal fins to represent flowing water.