dragon knot

Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:

I have a love of Japanese knots, particularly the ones made using rice straw, a craft known as warazaiku. The craft came about as a by-product of the rice harvest and as such is connected to the Shinto religion through the rituals undertaken by farmers to ensure good harvests. The straw ropes are coiled by hand and prayers for good fortune are interwoven into the pieces, so that they serve as lucky talismans.

Made as they are from a natural product, they are quite fragile and not meant to last for a very long time (and very hard to keep dust free), so I have made my own longer lasting versions of them for our home from ceramic, wood and on paper, and now share some of these in the store from time to time.

As 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, some of these knots have morphed into dragons in my imagination - like this rope knot painted version.

This version is a hand painted straw knot on wood taking the form of a dragon.

Has a brass hanger on the back. Sealed with a matt acrylic top coat. Signed 'blue bear' in red on the reverse.

28cm height.

My pieces are painted in a naïve and simple style, with visible brush strokes and differing paint consistencies. It is important to note that these wooden wall decorations are made from 6mm plywood which will have a naturally occurring surface roughness - please make sure you consult the pictures carefully before purchasing.

PLEASE NOTE: Wood pieces should be kept away from water which can damage the wood and painted surface, and also away from direct heat/ sunlight which also can affect the surface colour and the timber itself.