PASSAMAQUODDY BIRCHBARK ARTIST AND CANOE BUILDER
By Patricia Ayala, Ph.D.
«…David was a celebrated canoemaker, artist, educator, political activist, and cultural protector. He belonged to the Passamaquoddy tribe from the Northeast of the United States, who—along with the Abenaki, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Micmac—are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy…»
“One remarkable artist’s portrait of another remarkable artist: master Passamaquoddy canoe maker David Moses Bridges (1962-2017) by master painter Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) at the Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine”.
Update:
This is one of the sketches Wyeth did before he did the painting named “threat“, where David and his oldest son Tobias were painted together.
Written by Jean Flahive and Donald Soctomah!!!
Available on Maine Authors Publishing:
https://maineauthorspublishing.com/the-canoe-maker
Available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Jean-Flahive/dp/1633811719
The Damariscotta River Association and Penequid Land Trust merged and became Coastal River Conservation Trust (Maine). They relocated to Round Top Farm in Damariscotta and named one of their spaces “David Moses Bridges Educational Hall”. This hall has birch floors and ceiling in homage to David and his birch bark artistry.
Post on Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust website: