~The Mermaid Box~

I love the primitive Maritime folk art of early Americana. 

Historically, sailors had little to do at sea once keeping to their duties aboard ship; However, in treasured spare time, they might take up carving. 
Wood was the easiest of natural mediums to find for such carpentry and often these carvings would be a source of added income to trade in little sea ports. 
Such sea-going Artisans were to be found living and leaving from coastal villages and ports along the New England coast and across the Mid-Eastern Seaboard to down in the Deep South and river towns where cargo ships would bring in such sailors and skills from around the world. 
In the Victorian era, when Gold Rush fever took hold,  the Mariner was often tempted to throw in with the Pioneer settlements burgeoning across the wild and lawless  Western-Pacific landscape. 
Soon, such hand-worked carvings were found among trinkets and goods of trade that could  be found easily enough in places like San Francisco and all along the coastal regions
 of Old California, out across foggy seaports in Oregon 

and over the mist shrouded shores of Washington. 

 This Mermaid Box is a little nod to the artisan Mariner of old. As I think of more homespun folk mermaid designs to come, I can't help but think of a bearded old Sea Cap'n, with faithful dog at heel. There he sits dressed eternally in pea coat and cap, whittling away a beauty made of wood nearly visible amongst the shadows outside a seaside clapboard house. Yes, his smoking pipe is barely discernible against his shadowy form that fades in and out of the winking sunlight settling over the glistening beach 

and churning white capped waves at Sea.

               
                  Mermaid Box with raised relief of Sea Maiden of original design.
                                                   Mermaid and Fish may be customised with various colours.  

                                       

                                   More Maritime inspired folk art boxes and the
 Blue Mermaid Collection™ coming soon! 

                                                                             © Weird Contessa Studio Creations™