"These pieces are inspired by a Tlingit dagger that I came across while doing research on Northern style formline. It's a 21 3/4" steel dagger, made during the late 1800's. The handle is what I was most interested in. It's in the shape of two whale heads, back to back, with one shared whale fin above them. I found myself going back to the image of this dagger over and over. I find the symmetry and simplicity to be incredibly elegant and admirable to achieved in steel. Even now, 200 years later and with modern tools, its a hard thing to achieve. I then learned that it was actually made by a female blacksmith named Saaeina.aat. That sealed the deal for me and made it all the more badass since Im a female carver in what is still mainly a male dominated art form. There is no need to try and improve upon Saaeina.aat work, so I decided to deconstruct it and work with her design but in my own style. If I were a working artist 200 years ago and somehow knew Saaeina.aat, I would gift here the neck cuff, wrist cuff and and large cutout earrings (as a set) to say thank you for how her skill, both technical and in design, and dedication to her craft have inspired me."

-Meaghan McRae