Coop carves this Celtic Bear Knot designed by Katrina in 2 sizes. There are so many meanings, historical and modern to the Bear. It can appeal to those who search for Strength; Lovers of the tale of King Arthur, Mothers wishing to fill a nursery with woodland animals as well as Big Hairy Men and those who love them! MEANING: Celtic Bear (Arth): Although the bear was native to the Isles, it is now extinct there. Evidence of its being a totem animal is found in many Celtic designs; although it is not mentioned in the legends. The word "arth", which means "bear", is the root word for the name Arthur. Bear symbolize warrior spirit and courage to fight. The bear’s spirit would be invoked to help warriors in battle. As the bear is a fierce and powerful fighter, its name was also adopted by kings and warriors. It is said that the Vikings would wear bear skins in times of war to scare off their enemies. They would appear as powerful as these wild animals. Bear symbolize warrior spirit and courage to fight. In spring, the Mama Bear emerges from her winter hibernation in the womb of mother earth with bear cubs in tow. This led to the bear being associated with regeneration, rebirth and adopted as a solar symbol.  Bears are known to protect their cubs with unrivaled ferocity, using all their strength and courage to protect their vulnerable offspring.  In modern times, Bear has become an affectionate term for a subculture in the gay community. Bears tend to have hairy bodies and facial hair; some are heavy-set; some project working-class masculinity; none of these are requirements or unique indicators. As LGBT culture and modern slang take on a wider appeal in modern society, the term has expanded to referring to a hairy and burly straight man as a bear, although they would not be part of the gay bear community. However, heterosexual men who have bearish physical traits and are affirming of their gay friends and family (or their gay fans, in the case of a celebrity) may also be informally accorded "honorary" bear status. THE CARVING: Our carvings are single pieces of western red cedar, designed and carved to be wall hangings. Each carving begins as a 1 X 12 inch cedar board. While we use power tools (Scroll Saw, Rotary shaft Tool, handheld detail sanders etc.), we use no laser’s, CNC machines or computer operated cutting machines. All work is done with our hands and eyes… We cut the 2 dimensional blanks with scroll and jig saws (double-sized custom orders have to be cut with jigsaw). Carving is done with rotary shaft tools and disc grinders. The 80 grit sanding is the final phase of the carving process, removing the nicks and gouges from the carving tools, and finishes the shaping of the weave. The next 2 sandings with 120 then 220 grit finishes the smoothing and polishing. They are finished with Clear Danish Oil to seal the piece, bringing out the grain and the color.