Scrimshaw Powder Horn - "The Scrimshander"

I was given the honor of creating a scrimshaw powder horn for a well known Scrimshander, Mr Glenn Swanson. 

For me, this was a terrifying task. How do you present a piece of work to a true master of the craft?!! 

Luckily for me, Mr Swanson, a true gentleman as always, was so very gracious about it. 

We presented it to him at the 2012 Big Muddy River Rendezvous in Winona, Minnesota. 

The piece here that I recently worked on is entitled "The Scrimshander".

If you know Glenn's work then you know that on many of his pieces he will place a mouse.  Many Rendezvous people and powder horn collectors and scrimshaw collectors enjoying looking to see if they can find that trademark mouse.  So, on one side, I created a mouse for Glenn.

If you follow the mouse down to it's paw, you will find the mouse is holding something.  Keep turning it, and you realize that the mouse is guiding the arm of the scrimshander.

The scrimshander is a portrait of Glenn Swanson working hard on another powder horn.  Thus, this piece is entitled "The Scrimshander".

I am not sure what I enjoyed more, creating this piece or the wonderful smile I got from Glenn when he first saw it.  I will probably never truly know if he thought it was all that well done, but I think it was the thought of the gift.  His praises, his encouragements to continue the craft and his wonderful smile will stay with me forever.

Someday, some day way down the road, I do hope to come close to the talent and creativity of Mr Glenn Swanson.  A true scrimshander, a true artist.  My teacher, my mentor. 

Thank you for the honor! 

All my scrimshaw is hand done making them one of a kind.

Gifted

Email me with any inquiries:
directzee@hotmail.com