Garden totem poles

Build your own garden poles and personalize your outdoor space.

I’m making garden totems to sell at our local garden art sale this summer.

I’ve become a little obsessed with peace poles since I discovered them … A what? You may be asking … These are poles (they look similar to a fence post) and each side is decorated. When you create and plant a peace pole, you are connecting to people all over the world. There are thousands […]

The Upcycled Garden totem pole ideas for totem poles made from salvaged and upcycled materials.

Barbara Vanderbeck is a friend of mine and an inspiration to me in so many ways; yet another great working artist of Ruby's Clay Studio in San Francisco. It's always fabulous fun waiting for the next little bird to come to life in Barb's studio. Barb has a much anticipated show coming up at Ruby's of her new work - I have only seen one of her new piece in process. I'm excited to see the full collection of her new work. I do know she's been working hard in her studio because I haven't had a…

A Some of my students are interested in making garden totems this semester. We briefly discussed the meaning of "totem". Definition from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary TOTEM 1 a: an object (as an animal or plant) serving as the emblem of a family or clan and often as a reminder of its ancestry. Also: According to Native American tradition, each individual is connected with nine different animals that will accompany each person through life, acting as guides. Different animal guides come…

Stacked lids & bottle tops ... isn't this gorgeous? Artistic amazement ... courtesy Yarnbombing Consortium ... I'll post more frequently ... promise!

The Upcycled Garden totem pole ideas for totem poles made from salvaged and upcycled materials.

I am offering unique hand painted garden art totems. Each totem is a one of a kind creation, or I can do a custom one with any color scheme. I use kiln dried Douglas Fir 4"x4" posts of various lengths up to 6 feet. They are painted with acrylic paint and sealed with a UV marine spar varnish to provide weather resistance. They are drilled into the bottom and at least 18 inches of rebar secured into the bottom with 12 inches exposed for easy installation into your garden. The totem can be…

So many colorful vases can be found at thrift stores and garage sales. Drilling a hole in the bottoms with a diamond bit allows stacking on a pole. The key is t…