Handcarved Fiddles
by Janette Boyd
Title
Handcarved Fiddles
Artist
Janette Boyd
Medium
Photograph - Photo/textroure
Description
Photo of fiddles hand-carved by Ed Galloway located at the Fiddle House at Totem Pole Park outside Foyil, Oklahoma, near Route 66.
***Top Finisher in FAA Contest, "Love Music" 02/10/15***
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Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park is the oldest and largest example of a folk art environment in Oklahoma; its construction lasting from 1937 to 1961. Totem Pole Park is located ten miles north of Claremore, Oklahoma, off historic Route 66 and four miles east of Foyil on highway 28A.
Besides the numerous sculptures spread across this nine acre plot of land, there is also a a rather strange eleven-sided building on the property that resembles a Navajo hogan, decorated with totemic columns and Native American portraits. Better known as the "Fiddle House", it simply proved that Ed played to the tune of a different fiddle. The "Fiddle House" was built to show off his handmade fiddles, along with several smaller pieces that Ed liked to call "Art." At one time, he crafted over three hundred fiddles.
Mr. Galloway obtained employment at Sand Springs Home, teaching manual arts to orphan boys. In 1937, he retired to live on the property now known as the Totem Pole Park. He constructed a vernacular Craftsman residence, a smokehouse, and a workshop (which no longer exists). He began to make violins, furniture, and decorative wall art. Galloway became interested in Native Americans and found inspiration in post cards and National Geographic magazines to construct totem poles in the park.
It is also here that Ed constructed the Fiddle House,an eleven-sided building created expressly to house the growing collection of fiddles, which he was carving during this time. It housed the over three hundred fiddles that he had laboriously carved from wood. It was reported that Ed asked his former students to bring back wood from all over the world so he could make fiddles.
Nathan Ed Galloway died of cancer on November 11, 1962 on Veteran's Day. His nine-acre Foyil property was donated by his family in 1989 to the Rogers County Historical Society, which maintains the present-day Totem Pole Park.
Ed said, "All my life, I did the best I knew. I built these things by the side of the road to be a friend to you."
Uploaded
February 21st, 2014
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Viewed 248 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/25/2024 at 12:10 PM
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Comments (6)
Wayne Moran
What a great eye.. I love this.
Janette Boyd replied:
Thank you very much, Wayne! I am glad you like it! If you ever get to Oklahoma, try to stop by this place. It is very interesting!
Chris Berry
Beautiful shot Janette, love the light and the textures give this a very painterly quality. Well done!
Janette Boyd replied:
Thank you for the kind comment, Chris! Appreciate you taking a look at my artwork!