A Tribute to The Tragically Hip

This piece began with a guitar, a scroll saw, and a very ambitious idea.

Having recently started learning to play guitar, I wanted to create something that brought together two things that had quickly become important to me: music and woodworking. The result is a handmade hardwood guitar stand inspired by The Tragically Hip, Gord Downie, and the stories woven through their music.

Every element was chosen with intention.

The poplar wheat crown represents Wheat Kings, while the walnut lyrics are from Ahead by a Century. The red oak raven wings are inspired by Gord Downie’s The Secret Path, where a raven follows Chanie. That story stayed with me long after I learned about it.

The sunrise behind the piece was inspired by Bobcaygeon. I kept picturing an early summer morning while working on it, and that feeling became part of the design.

The padauk maple leaves are a nod to The Tragically Hip as unmistakably Canadian icons, while the layered feather, made from padauk, purpleheart, walnut, cumaru, and ash, pays tribute to Gord and his iconic feathered hats. The design was particularly inspired by the hat he wore during the band's final concert here in Kingston, a moment I remember watching from Edmonton as an entire country gathered to sing along.

The rosewood arch and frame were inspired by artwork created for The Hip by artist Pat Hamou, bringing another small piece of the band's visual history into the design.

Every component was cut, shaped, and assembled by hand, using a combination of hardwoods and intricate scroll saw work. What started as a guitar stand became something much more personal: a functional piece of Canadian music history, created through woodworking.

This piece took more late nights, tiny cuts, and sore fingertips than I care to admit. My fingertips probably would have preferred that I learn guitar without simultaneously deciding to make an extremely complicated piece of wood art.

But every minute was worth it.