Primitive Folkart Noah's Ark by Owen Scott
Some people seem to be born with an innate sense of art and design and not even know it, such as people like my friend Owen. He really doesn't think he's an aritist. He has no training but the training of life and trial and error. Yet yet everything he makes gives you that "WOW" and "I love it!" factor. You can tell each piece was made with the thoughts of a particular loved one in mind. He says that it's hard when someone wants him to make them one of his pieces of folkart because it's never the same. The feeling required just isn't there. I can really identify with this when you are making things that move the heart.
Owen started with the gift of a whitling knife from his wife. She thought it would be a great way for him to unwind. On a vacation he took the knife and block of wood and made a little version of their cat, Gilligan. He graduated later to a scroll saw and a skill saw. He made large furniture like tables,cupboards, a bed. Anything his wife asked for really.
This included bird houses for her beautiful garden.
Owen carves small birds and animals as well as using found objects in his work as is the case below of "Mr. Dundarave" made form driftwood found at Dudarave Beach in West Vancouver, BC.
"Mr. Dundarave" by Owen Scott
Some of my favorite pieces are the automata pieces. The ones that turn with a crank and do an action, like sawing Uncle Sam and the Train Stop Man.
Owen's work inspires me. The sense of play, the simple yet sweet details and the feeling I get when I look at his work. It's stuff you want to touch and feel and play with. I believe that what's in our hearts comes out in the things we create. I see warmth and love for his wife in every wood cut , scratched and painted patina.
I hope my work can always have the feeling that what I made was made for someone that I loved because I think that's our best work of all.
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