Handmade Loon Art Appraisal

Hand-Carved and Painted Common Loon Tree Bark Slab Plaque

This item is a decorative wall plaque created from a vertical slab of natural tree bark, likely cottonwood or pine, featuring a relief-carved and hand-painted wilderness scene. The piece measures approximately 14 to 18 inches in height and features an elongated, tapered shape that retains the rugged, organic texture of the outer bark along its perimeter. The central face has been carved away to create a recessed, flat surface for the artistic composition. The foreground depicts a highly detailed Common Loon, characterized by its iconic black-and-white checkered plumage, red eye, and distinctive neck markings, nestled among smooth carved stones and stylized reeds. The middle ground and background utilize shallow relief carving and woodburning techniques to illustrate a tranquil lake scene with evergreen trees and a distant shoreline. The color palette consists of natural wood tones, deep greens, and high-contrast black and white for the aquatic bird. Visible condition issues include some minor scuffing and paint loss along the bottom edge and slight desiccation of the bark scales, which is typical for organic wood pieces of this age. There appears to be a faint signature or mark on the lower right-hand stone. Based on the style and subject matter, this is a piece of North American folk art or lodge-style decor, likely dating from the late 20th century. The craftsmanship is high, showing expert use of gouges to create texture in the water and sky, and precise painting on the central figure.