The Artists. The Inspiration. The Heritage.
Kevin Gadomski

Contributing Artists: Emma Gadomski (Daughter), Tanner Gadomski (Son), Joy Delaney, Robert Krogh, John D

Inspired by the Ojibway heritage of my children, I began creating the Manitou pieces many years ago. My interest in all things esoteric has led me to explore shamanism, totemism, mysticism, Taoism, Zen, Sufism, Animism, nature, reality, dreaming, metaphysics, Kevinism as a life path which are all more or less reflected in my work. Basically, a learn as you go, organic way of being which shuns dogma and indoctrination to any specific belief system and embraces unfiltered experience that doesn't require interpretation. Gathering, condensing, focusing, and co-creating.

Tanner  and Emma‘s native heritage is from the Turtle Clan of the Grand Portage Band of Ojibway, on their mother’s side, whose grandmothers on both sides were full Anishinabe as well as a great grandfather who was half Cree. 

The Process

HI. We've all been working our fingers to the bone (believe it!) at our small studio here in the woods, creating hand-carved, limited edition Ojibway inspired sculptural pieces. Over the years we have sold our work through many galleries across the country, including Disney World and many National Parks.

Hand carved and assembled from local basswood, and individually hand painted, each piece is one of an edition of 100, and is numbered, dated, and signed by me and my wonderful son, Tanner. Because each piece is individually hand made, no two pieces will be exactly alike. Each has its own individual characteristics and personality. From an Animistic view, one could say the Manitou sculpture itself is alive with awareness and it's own breed of intelligence!

MANITOU: it is the Ojibway (or Chippewa) word for Spirit or Mystery.  As the Great Spirit manifests itself in myriad forms, each unique manifestation, including plant, animal and mineral, is endowed with and inseparable from this Spirit.  Also, MANITOU can be interpreted as meaning "MAGIC" or "Medicine," in the sense that some people, places, objects, etc. seem to possess a greater concentration of this spirit (or creative energy) than others, such as a sacred ritual object or a favorite seashell.  It is akin to the reservoir of concentrated essence or power that is referred to as 'Mana' in some pagan European cultures, and is believed to pervade the whole world. A Manitou may also be an actual spirit entity (inorganic being?) whom on occasion will take on a physical (human or animal) form in order to teach us foolish people a lesson. Thus, "Little Spirits" and the inspiration for our pieces.   The term MANITOU is also synonymous with the word FAERIE. Of a different continent, culture and language, both refer to the hidden world behind this one, the denizens of that world, and the magic and mischief they wrought in our world. If an object could be said to express the 'genus loci' or intelligence and memories of a place, the Manitous are very definitely 'Minnesota'.