The spirits are watching you

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This article was published 25/08/2015 (3698 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Murray Watson has certainly carved out a name for himself in Bois-des-Esprits.

The forest in Royalwood is home to several of Watson’s “wood spirit” wordcarvings, which are etched in the trunks of trees at different points in the forest.

The St. Vital-based sculptor will be one of the Winnipeg artists involved with Save Our Seine’s Culture Days event, which will be held on Sat., Sept. 26 at 10 a.m.

The event is part of the organization’s 25th anniversary celebrations. Save Our Seine is a volunteer-driven stewardship group that strives to protect, preserve and enhance the urban Seine River environment within the city.

Watson has agreed to lead participants on a guided walk in the forest to discover his carvings that he created to adorn the trails. As the contingent strolls along, Katherena Vermette will share some of her writings. Vermette is a Métis writer of poetry, fiction and children’s literature. Her first book, North End Love Songs, won the 2013 Governor General’s Literacy Award for Poetry. The walk will end with a visit to Woody-Mhitik. Created by Robert Leclaire and Walter Mirosh, the carving has become a symbol of the forest. The carvers will be on hand to share their story.

Aside from his legacy in Bois-des-Esprits, Watson, 54, said many of his creations are “interior pieces” that tend to focus on Canadian wildlife, especially birds. He has pieces displayed at locations such as the Wah-sa Gallery at The Forks and FortWhyte Alive, and also sells his creations at St. Norbert Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. He will also consider doing carving commissions on trees in people’s gardens.  

His carvings in the forest vary from around 12 to 16 at any one time, as not all of them are on trees rooted in the ground.

“In terms of spirituality, the carvings are kind of the watchers of the woods keeping an eye on things,” Watson said.

“There has been a bit of vandalism and theft over the years. A nice lady phoned me once, as I’d made a pelican and mounted it on a walking bridge. The lady was quite distressed and asked ‘What did you do? The pelican isn’t there anymore.’ It shows that people in the area take pride in the forest and the carvings. After that experience, I learned not to make the carvings too small and vulnerable.”

“I want to carve something that the public enjoys. The subject matter of the bulk of my work is nature, so I’ve always felt like I’m getting closer to nature when I’m working with wood, as it is part of what makes up the world and the Earth,” he added.

“I think of the forest as my own large workshop. And there’s no vacuuming required.”

Shortly before press time, Save Our Seine’s executive director Michele Kading told The Lance that Woody-Mhitik had suffered some damage at the hands of vandals — the second time this has happened — but that Leclaire and Mirosh have now rebuilt the carving’s nose in time in time for next month’s Culture Days event.

To view some of Watson’s work, go online www.etsy.com/market/murray_watson
For more information about Save Our Seine, visit www.saveourseine.com

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com

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