"Tale of a Tsantsa"

From the deep, dark jungles of Taboo Island comes a Jivaro Indian tsantsa, or shrunken head on black velvet by Thor. The Jivaro "shrunk" the heads of their enemies after battle, for they believed that this process would capture the enemy's spirit, and protect both the warrior and his dead ancestors against revenge from the dead enemy in the afterlife.

Following in the tradition of the black velvet master Leeteg, Thor uses the black of the velvet as the negative space of the image. At first the painting is fairly subtle, then the image just pops out as you stare at it a little longer. These black velvet paintings are difficult to photograph and look so much better in person. They look their best in a dark room with one spot light shining on it.

This original painting features a shrunken head with lips tied shut. It measures 11"x14" and is framed in a 2" rustic wood frame. It is titled, dated Oct. 31, 2010 and signed by Thor on the reverse. Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a Thor original!

About Thor:

      Tom Thordarson, or "Thor" as he is best known by both collectors of his work and the growing awareness in the art community, can truly take your imagination on a journey unlike any other. His life as an artist began when he was just old enough to hold a pencil. With his mother being an artist as well, she would hand him paper and pencils to "keep him out of mischief," as she would say. The years spent drawing and painting would soon become a powerful tool to communicate his intense imagination and endless spirit of adventure in his career to be.
      In his own words, Thor explains, "Creating my own entertainment and building my own toys was an activity I was highly encouraged to do as a kid. I learned to believe in the real magic and power of my imagination. I believed that if I could draw something with enough passion and thought, then what would stop it from becoming something I could touch or walk into one day?”
      "My entire childhood was filled with endless curiosity, drawing and adventure. I loved building tree houses and forts from scrap wood and stuff I could find in my Grandfather's workshop. The experiences that would lead me to what I paint today were inspired by my family's incredibly fun vacations every summer to Hawaii beginning at age 6. I also have two sets of cousins on the Big Island who encouraged me to become a certified diver when I lived with them for many summers growing up as well. So, Hawaii is my second home. I love the sea. I spent endless hours on Maui and Hawaii combing the beaches and climbing trees in the nearby jungles pretending I was a pirate or some ingenious castaway living off the land in a high seas adventure."
      An honors graduate in Illustration from the prestigious Pasadena Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, Thor was immediately discovered by the entertainment/theme park industry which he remained in for 17 years. His imagination and talents have led him to conceive, illustrate and paint concepts for countless rides and attractions with many major entertainment companies. With strong skills in both team leadership and his art, he served as the Director of Attraction Development at MCA Universal Studios, Hollywood and then as a full fledged Disney Imagineer with his role as a Director/Senior Concept Designer.
      Among his many assignments at Disney was the task of the concept design for one of the main "E-ticket" rides for the new Tokyo Disney Sea theme park in Japan called, "Journey to the Center of the Earth," a top rated thrill ride currently in operation.
      Residing now in both California and Hawaii, Thor has put aside the entertainment design industry to focus on his art inspired by those early days of tropical adventures that shaped his art and imagination. "I am painting the fantasies and stories now that I imagined all those years sitting on the beaches, diving in the sea or building hideaways in the lush island jungles," Thor explains. "I am hoping that everyone finds these enchanted places, intriguing contraptions or playful characters I am painting now as much fun to look at, as they are for me to paint. Please feel free to step into them. Come by and share some Aloha spirit with me and I will tell you a few magical tales. The tiki torches are all lit and fluttering in the trade winds.... I will see you on the lanai!"

E-mail a friend about this item.

Return to Catalog