Tree of Life Art Works Artist Statement
Kim and Katherine McClelland are the husband/wife/ artists/ owners of Tree
of Life Art Works, creating original scrimshaw since 1976. Even as a child, Kim loved drawing pen and ink imagery which helped prepare him for the detail scrimshaw requires. After finishing his art degree, Kim first discovered scrimshaw by making their
wedding rings from antique piano keys. Working with organic materials such as shed antlers and fossil ivories dating back
thousands of years, plus sculptural-casting resins, our process insures each hand-cast resin ART WORK has the exact fidelity
of our original. No endangered animals visit our art studio.
Katherine and Kim draw
on their imagination, faith and life experience when designing new pieces as well
as suggestions from their faithful patrons.
Historically
scrimshaw is a nautical engraving art indigenous to America. Sailors on board
whaling ships "scrimmed" designs on whale teeth and bones using a sharp tool. (It actually was coined a thrifty waste of time.)
Ink or oil and soot were then rubbed
into the cuts and wiped away to reveal the incised image. Tree of Life still uses this basic process.
