Canoe Shop Decorations

[dougd]

My cousin Kathy sent this on to me and it arrived today. I know where I'm going to put it in the Canoe Shed. It is metal and looks a little old but that ain't the point, it's cause she was thinking of me and and how stupid I am about canoeing! What's you have in your shop for canoeing decorations/signs/memorabilia?

 

[Jim Dodd]

Hi Doug !
I helped a builder, glass his first canoe ! It came out great !
Him being a craftsman, made this plaque for me out several different woods (17, if I remember correctly) ! He even included the decorative strip pattern I often use !
I love it !




Jim

 

[Alan Gage]

I'm terrible when it comes to decorating. I can appreciate good decoration and memorabilia when I see it in peoples' houses or shop but I never seem to get around to displaying my own. The closest I've come in the shop is hanging some of my screwups on the wall as a reminder to myself.

Alan

 

[Guest]

Jim, that puts to decorative shame the stuff I have hanging in the shop; old 5 x 7 photos from 70’s and 80’s adventures, and a garage door covered in spare copies of paddling maps, and finisher results and times from canoe races.

The maps cover most of my familiar paddling territory; they bring back fond memories, and having the map reference spray glued to the wall is easier than finding the correct file and getting it out.

 

[sweeper]

I have too many tools in my tiny shop and not a lot of room for art, but I do have an empty stairway.

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[Robin]

I have a few in my shop, my favorite is a weather vane sent to me by our own Mihun. She made it so it could be put on a rod outside to give me the direction of the wind, but I found it too nice to subject it to the elements. That's supposed to be me in my wood canvas Chestnut canoe, ash gunnels, with a Duluth Pack, my big floppy hat with a red bandanna and an ash beavertail paddle, some real talent there. Thanks Karen, when I'm long gone it will be displayed in my son's barn for sure.

 

[Pringles]

This is actually about my house, not my shop. I don’t have a shop. I was commenting to someone the other day that I have very few Knick knacks, like most of my friends seem to. I have a bundle of sassafras’s sticks, with a nice ribbon. When people ask me, I tell them that they were native one of the places that i lived, and that if you break one and sniff, it smells like heaven—or root beer. I have pine cones and sweet gum balls and rocks from here and there and everywhere. I have a special jar with some rocks from ANWR, and a little piece of caribou antler from the Yukon. The folks who ask me about such things kind of understand why having a bit of trail debris here and there is important to me. If say so myself, it looks nice. I also have a beautiful canoe paddle and a wooden kayak paddle “tastefully” leaned against a wall. Over the years, I’ve spent way too much money on getting to places, and maybe not enough on the mementos and decorations, but that’s only maybe. A long time ago, I decided to buy underwear as a souvenir from trips. I told that to my friend and she laughed. I bet she does that on upcoming trips, though... souvenir longjohns! OK, this started as a comment about stuff to decorate with and wandered away from the topic. Sorry.

Jim, I love your art piece.

Pringles

 

[yellowcanoe]

My favorite decoration was actually a wall in Tom MacKenzies shop
Each canoe he made was represented by its paint color and HIN
Since Tom was open to color experimentation no two swatches were alike. He even did airbrushed graduated shades. On one such purple boat the effect was stunning

 

[Odyssey]

I was honoured with a Mihun original, much like Robin's. I will try to post a photo. It is a carving of my wife and I in our tandem canoe, complete with packs and paddles. I didn't respond to this thread right away because I don't think of this hand carved artwork as decoration. It lies closer to my heart.
I do have a yellow portage sign too. I hung it at the bottom of the basement stairs, but nobody noticed, or laughed at the joke, so I relocated it somewhere in the rec room. I have prints, photos and posters in the rec room to remind me of canoe trips past. Seeing a portage sign triggers a mixed emotion in me. Happy and glad we've found the trail and we can stretch our legs for a walk in the woods. A little on edge about what we'll face on the trail...mud, root, rocks and bugs? Despite all that I always lean a little more positive towards our walk in the woods. I may not be smiling when I see the portage signs but trust me I am smiling inside. Mihun's art makes me burst out smiling inside and out.

 

[Pringles]

I stopped at an outfitter in Whitehorse. The had small canoe paddles, which were for trip participants to sign. I thought about that, and decided I liked the idea, but that I didn’t need a bunch of little paddles. Instead, I bought bandanas in colors that I liked, and on each trip, I would have people sign my bandana. They could write something if they wanted, or just sign. I did this at the end of the trip, after we’d had shared experiences. Those are attached to a cord, using little clothespins. I think of them as sort of like Nepalese prayer flags.

 

[Black_Fly]

Sorry this is so small. I have a new Mac and I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[Boatman53]

This isn’t hanging in the shop, much too precious. It was a gift from one of my favorite clients.


I still need to research more info on it.
Jim