Sawyer is proud to partner with artists and Save Our Wild Salmon conservation efforts to protect and restore wild salmon, steelhead and the healthy river systems they depend on. “Save Our Wild Salmon is honored to partner with Sawyer on this project to raise awareness and funds to support our advocacy efforts,” says Joseph Bogaard, executive director of the Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition. “Healthy fisheries, healthy rivers and responsible companies like Sawyer Paddles and Oars remind us all about how environment and economy can, and must, go hand-in-hand.”
Hear from Ed Anderson about his design & inspiration, and learn more at his website – http://edandersonart.com
What was the inspiration for your Artisan Series design, and why is that species of fish meaningful to you?
Sockeye are a paradox. I love the ugliness of the spawned out fish while showing some of the brightest colors in nature. And, I find no greater iconic animal in our country.
Salmon and Steelhead are iconic species in the PNW. What do you want people that aren’t familiar with the efforts to save them to know about the work and your art being done on their behalf?
It’s a long swim… we shouldn’t make it harder.
What is your favorite memory of catching or pursuing your oar design species?
I’d been on a long West Coast swing in the Fall. I’d done four shows in three weeks and the road had worn me out. I was really looking forward to getting back to Boise. The Monday after Salmon Days in Issaquah, I drove east through Stevens Pass. Drained and sucking down coffee, the sun cut through the clouds on the mountain. It hit the backs of these great fish perfectly. It looked like a bunch of red hots squirming around in that crystal clear water. I thought about the work those fish had done to get back to the top of that mountain to spawn and realized I wasn’t that tired.
Sawyer Stories - Tales of Oar locks, Eddies, and The Feel Of Water 