Spirit Stick

Standing seven feet tall, this intricately carved wooden sculpture by Phil Seder is a totemic column of expressive faces and symbolic forms, each segment offering a unique character or spiritual presence. Carved from old-growth Douglas fir salvaged from the historic Tillamook Burn in Oregon, the sculpture carries deep environmental and historical meaning. Its surface is alive with texture—bold chisel marks and rhythmic patterns that lead the viewer’s gaze from base to top, revealing a sequence of figures that feel both ancient and alive.

Rooted in the tradition of Lithuanian totemic wood carving, this piece reflects Seder’s cultural heritage, where vertical wooden monuments, or *"Rūpintojėlis"* and other ancestral carvings, were long used to convey spiritual guardianship and collective memory. By integrating this lineage with the salvaged wood of a Pacific Northwest forest once ravaged by fire, Seder creates a powerful dialogue between personal identity, cultural tradition, and ecological renewal. The result is a sculptural narrative that bridges continents and generations, honoring both human craftsmanship and the natural world.