THE TWIG EATER
THE TWIG EATER - Standing Moose - Full View
Engraving and Relief Sculpture on Purcell Mountain Slate Stone
Size 6-3/4" x 10" x 10/16" thick. Moose 6. IMG 125-2536
Artist: Elaine Sell Prefontaine
There is no paint on this piece. I have ground off the top layer of the brown slate stone to reveal the true ‘slate blue’ within. Hence the sky.
I have placed felt pads on the underside to protect furniture when displaying flat. May also be displayed on a stand.
Private Collection - Calgary, Alberta
NATURE NOTES:
MOOSE (Alces alces)
MY ‘CLOSE ENCOUNTERS’ OF THE MOOSE KIND
I clearly remember the first time I closely encountered this huge herbivorous hulk when I was prospecting alone on the Mineral Claim by Deer Creek. It was a still hot summer afternoon and suddenly the quiet was broken by the sound of the loud noise of pieces of slate stone being broken and crushed on the mountain above me. It sounded like thousands of pieces of breaking glass.
I looked up and there was a huge female moose casually and slowly coming down the 45 degree rock face directly towards me, seemingly oblivious to the noise she was creating. I always try to stay within running distance of the car which at that time was about 100 feet away up on the road above me. The car was between the moose and I, and she was coming down the cliff face about 150 feet above the car. Well, run I did and just made it to the safety of the car when Mama Moose ambled across the road about fifteen feet in front the car and proceeded down to Deer Creek for her afternoon drink of water.
My brother told me later that she was his friend and that he called her “Marilyn” because she was beautiful.
MASTER MOOSE FACE TO FACE
My second encounter with the giant twig eater was at a much closer and scarier range. It happened early the next spring about mid-day as I was following Deer Creek just about 100 feet south of the Fisher Maiden Lake/Deer Creek foot bridge. Deer Creek is surrounded at this point in shadows by tall spruce, larch, pine and willow trees with much tangled undergrowth.
As was necessary, I was proceeding slowly and carefully walking with my head down watching every footstep. I was walking on the very edge of the creek bank, which was to my left, when I rounded a bend and had to grab on to a tree with my right hand to keep from falling in. With my right hand still holding on to the tree I looked up to decide my next step. I found myself looking right into the face of a great big black bull moose, not five feet in front of me, just standing there quietly in the cool dark shadows. My heart pounded and I forced myself to back out in the same slow careful manner in which I had arrived, lest I startle and hence anger Master Moose. Whew!
Ever since these close encounters I have been quite fascinated with these creatures and now enjoy creating images of them upon the slate stone they so often trod upon in their home territory.