The sounds of nature are all around us. Birds call to each other, wild turkeys gobble, squirrels chatter, and crows caw. May peepers fill the night air with their own special music. Crickets sing. Wind flutters the leaves of trees in summer. Ice snaps branches in winter. Waves lap the shore of Lake Superior or pound it in a violent motion depending upon weather conditions.
My buddy, Roger Pilon formerly of Sugar Island, now of Grand Marais, told me about a friend of his who captures the sounds of nature with his hand-held homemade drums. Len Novak of Grand Marais is an artist who creates one of a kind drums. These are not traditional items that can be purchased from a music store. They’re custom-made pieces of art using what nature has to offer. Animal skins and antlers provide what he needs for his creations.
Len was born and raised on Fish Lake at Lakeside Lodge in Hancock, Wisconsin. He always enjoyed the outdoors and said at an early age he was captivated by the sounds coming from woodlands, waterfalls, waves against the shoreline, and even the stones beneath his feet because they all have their own special sound. From forest animals to birds in the air and ducks on a river, the sound of nature gave him a smorgasbord of melodies.
Over 25 years ago, Len became interested in creating art from leather and antlers and began making drums from deerskin. In his words, “A friend introduced me to the serenity and wilderness of the Wisconsin River. I lived a somewhat nomadic lifestyle that brought me closer to nature. As I became more aware of all the different reverberations around me, I knew I wanted to share them with others. The best way for me to do that was to create drums from natural materials. I’m not a hunter so I rely on friends to supply the hides to create the rawhide that I use for the drums.
“In 2000, Lake Superior lured me to the Keweenaw Peninsula. The lake has influenced my work in many ways. I try to capture the rolling, rumbling, and crashing voice of the waves when I make percussion pieces I call Rolling Rattles. These are not children’s rattles. They’re part of my Lake Essence Percussion pieces and are intended to replicate some of the awesome, infinite sounds of the mighty Gitche Gumee.
“One of my creations is a turtle shell rattle with an integrated driftwood handle. Another is a rattle with a dreamcatcher center. Nature offers an abundance of materials to choose from. Something as simple as a hollow log can be used as a drum. Children know that a pair of sticks and some stones can be brushed, splashed, and swirled until they mimic percussion instruments. Most children love to make noise as they explore their surroundings. As an adult, I do the same only on a more sophisticated level.”
Len’s drums are works of art as seen in the photographs. He typically uses a 16” x 22” one for a drumming. He also makes smaller drums. The tones and vibrations of each vary with the size, shape, hide density, and human intensity. Whether he’s giving a demonstration at an art fair or in his house, a drum is always close by. Len explained, “Drumming allows my emotions to flow from me to the listener or throughout the empty rooms of my home. There’s something bordering on the spiritual in the drumming process. It’s hard to explain, but when a drum is made from the hide of a deer it’s like the spirit of the animal lives on.”
Hearing Len’s story and listening to the sound of his drums reminded me that the thread separating man and nature is a thin one and the connection between us is not easily broken. The death of a deer provides more than just nourishment for the body. For Len, it’s a seamless continuity linking him to the deerskin drum. He’s a man unafraid to let the sounds he creates inspire him to become one with them. As he puts it, “The sounds I make from the drums are important to my soul. They’re as important as my friendships with the folks in my community and throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Many good people have offered materials for me to work with. Many more have purchased my drums and other items I make such as dreamcatchers, rattles, driftwood art, and copper candle holders.”
Perhaps it’s the spirit of the deerskin pulled tight and secured by lacings cut from rawhide that inspires Len. Or maybe his inspiration comes from the strength and beauty of the deer antlers or the driftwood that sometimes serve as a drum’s handgrip. Whatever the motivation, his drums are as unique as the man himself. For further information contact Len at https://www.facebook.com/Len.Novaks.Creations/.
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