Print and Graphic work

New "Orca" limited edition Print available!

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Todd Baker
'Orca'
$125.00

    • serigraph (silkscreen) in two colors, signed by the artist
    • printed on 245 gsm Stonehenge white 100% cotton paper
    • edition of 200, 2 artists' proofs
    • Image size 14" x 18"
    • paper size 18" x 22"
    • released JUNE, 2006

    $125.00
    email artist

     

Raven Releasing the Sun 
20" x 25" silk screen limited edition print of 225
Stonehedge 100% cotton rag 60 lb.
$129.00 CDN, Quality Guaranteed
 Print for Sale
   or e -mail  

 

artist for print Download word doc of raven and sun Legend

How Raven Brought Light To The World

A Haida Legend

According to a Haida story, in the beginning the world was in total darkness.

The Raven, who had existed from the beginning of time, was tired of groping about and bumping into things in the dark.

Eventually the Raven came upon the home of an old man who lived alone with his daughter. Through his slyness, the Raven learned that the old man had a great treasure. This was all the light in the universe, contained in a tiny box concealed within many boxes. At once the Raven vowed to steal the light.

He thought and thought, and finally came up with a plan. He waited until the old man's daughter came to the river to gather water. Then the Raven changed himself into a single hemlock needle and dropped himself into the river, just as the girl was dipping her water-basket into the river.

As she drank from the basket, she swallowed the needle. It slipped and slithered down into her warm belly, where the Raven transformed himself again, this time into a tiny human. After sleeping and growing there for a very long time, at last the Raven emerged into the world once more, this time as a human infant.

Even though he had a rather strange appearance, the Raven's grandfather loved him. But the old man threatened dire punishment if he ever touched the precious treasure box. Nonetheless the Ravenchild begged and begged to be allowed to hold the light just for a moment.

In time the old man yielded, and lifted from the box a warm and glowing sphere, which he threw to his grandson.

As the light was moving toward him, the human child transformed into a gigantic black shadowy bird-form, wings spread ready for flight, and beak open in anticipation. As the beautiful ball of light reached him, the Raven captured it in his beak!

Moving his powerful wings, he burst through the smoke-hole in the roof of the house, and escaped into the darkness with his stolen treasure.

And that is how light came into the universe.

 

 

1/100             "Good Medicine"       Todd Baker
22" x 22" image size

Limited edition of 100
completed for the Canadian Lacrosse Association for the Jim Bishop award
and can be purchased thru there website here.

Photo of Award

Jim Bishop Award

 


 

 

the dragonfly

not for sale

dragon fly legend

THE WARLIKE SEVEN

ONCE seven people went out to make war,--the Ashes, the Fire, the Bladder, the Grasshopper, the Dragon Fly, the Fish, and the Turtle. As they were talking excitedly, waving their fists in violent gestures, a wind came and blew the Ashes away.

"Ho!" Cried the others, "he could not fight, this one!" The six went on running to make war more quickly. They descended a deep valley, the Fire going foremost until they came to a river. The Fire said "Hsss--tchu!" And was gone. "Ho!" Hooted the others, "he could not fight, this one!"

Therefore the five went on the more quickly to make war. They came to a great wood. While they were going through it, the Bladder was heard to sneer and to say, "He! You should rise above these, brothers." With these words he went upward among the tree-tops; and the thorn apple pricked him. He fell through the branches and was nothing!

"You see this!" Said the four, "this one could not fight." Still the remaining warriors would not turn back. The four went boldly on to make war. The Grasshopper with his cousin, the Dragon Fly, went foremost. They reached a marshy place, and the mire was very deep. As they waded through the mud, the Grasshoppers legs stuck, and he pulled them off!

He crawled upon a log and wept, "You see me, brothers, I cannot go!" The Dragon Fly went on, weeping for his cousin. He would not be comforted, for he loved his cousin dearly. The more he grieved, the louder he cried, till his body shook with great violence. He blew his red swollen nose with a loud noise so that his head came off his slender neck, and he was fallen upon the grass.

"You see how it is, said the Fish, lashing his tail impatiently, "these people were not warriors!" "Come!" He said, "let us go on to make war." Thus the Fish and the Turtle came to a large camp ground. "Ho!" Exclaimed the people of this round village of teepees, "Who are these little ones? What do they seek?"

Neither of the warriors carried weapons with them, and their unimposing stature misled the curious people. The Fish was spokesman. With a peculiar omission of syllables, he said: "Shu . . . Hi pi!" "Wan! What? What?" Clamored eager voices of men and women. Again the Fish said: "She . . . hi pi!"

Everywhere stood young and old with a palm to an ear. Still no one guessed what the Fish had mumbled! From the bewildered crowd witty old Iktomi came forward. "He, listen!" He shouted, rubbing his mischievous palms together, for where there was any trouble brewing, he was always in the midst of it. "This little strange man says, 'Zuya unhipi! We come to make war!"

"Uun!" Resented the people, suddenly stricken glum. "Let us kill the silly pair! They can do nothing! They do not know the meaning of the phrase. Let us build a fire and boil them both!" "If you put us on to boil," said the Fish, "there will be trouble." "Ho ho!" Laughed the village folk. "We shall see." And so they made a fire. "I have never been so angered!" Said the Fish.

The Turtle in a whispered reply said: "We shall die!" When a pair of strong hands lifted the Fish over the sputtering water, he put his mouth downward. "Whssh!" He said. He blew the water all over the people, so that many were burned and could not see. Screaming with pain, they ran away.

"Oh, what shall we do with these dreadful ones?" They said. Others exclaimed: "Let us carry them to the lake of muddy water and drown them!" Instantly they ran with them. They threw the Fish and the Turtle into the lake. Toward the center of the large lake the Turtle dived.

There he peeped up out of the water and, waving a hand at the crowd, sang out, "This is where I live!" The Fish swam hither and thither with such frolicsome darts that his back fin made the water fly. "E han!" Whooped the Fish, "this is where I live!" "Oh, what have we done!" Said the frightened people, "this will be our undoing."

Then a wise chief said: "Iya, the Eater, shall come and swallow the lake!" So one went running. He brought Iya, the Eater; and Iya drank all day at the lake till his belly was like the earth. Then the Fish and the Turtle dived into the mud; and Iya said: "They are not in me." Hearing this the people cried greatly.

Iktomi wading in the lake had been swallowed like a gnat in the water. Within the great Iya he was looking skyward. So deep was the water in the Eaters stomach that the surface of the swallowed lake almost touched the sky. "I will go that way," said Iktomi, looking at the concave within arms reach.

He struck his knife upward in the Eaters stomach, and the water falling out drowned those people of the village. Now when the great water fell into its own bed, the Fish and the Turtle came to the shore. They went home painted victors and loud-voiced singers.

Todd Jason Baker specializes in logo design, corporate identity, brochure and collateral design, direct mail, advertising, and web site design. Check out the portfolio to get some ideas on how we might be able to help your business.

 

 

 

Logo work for University Of British Columbia


postcard

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Love Doves created for the Peace Federation of Canada 86"  Sold out.

 

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Canadian Goose, Sold out

A goose couple husband and wife used to live at a lake, one a day a hunter came and attacked the couple. The couple both together tried to escape, but the male was caught and killed by the hunter, the female fled south, she missed her loved one so much, to pay homage to her late husband, she fly's back to the same lake every year.

I drew spirits in the wings of the goose/swan to represent the new growth at the lake, they are my "growing spirits", because when she comes back she brings new growth to the territory.

  Wolf

Thunderbird Limited Edition print Sold out

free lance graphic work available

 

 ©2002, All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved

tjbaker@tvl.com

 


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