Chicago artist David Philpot is a self-taught artist who has been creating exquisitely carved and decorated staffs for almost thirty years. His staffs and canes are intricately carved, painted and embellished with a variety of materials such as faux jewels, leather, mirror fragments, coins and ornaments. Philpot’s work recalls ceremonial African staffs, and the artist explains that carving “is a way for me not only to reclaim my cultural heritage but to establish a place for myself as a respected American artist.”
