Ancient hulls in the once bustling seaport and shipyards of Mystic, Conn., creak with a language of times and cultures past. The warm groans of wood on wood tell a story of seafaring days, when ethereal figureheads, often women with their torsos thrust out to the ocean and thousand mile stares borne into their eyes, kept watch over the waters that lay ahead.

The figureheads embodied the spirit of their ship and were believed to placate the gods, ensuring a safe voyage. It is this spirit that inspired local artist Chris Minick’s carved, wooden faces currently on display at Space Gallery in Frog Level.

Minick, also well known as a musician and for bringing musicians together, began carving in high school, but was put off by the hobby’s sharp edges.

“I carved a couple things, I cut my finger, I started playing guitar and mixing guitar and blades didn’t mix,” Minick said.

In 1992, following his mother’s death, Minick again set blade to wood, carving a series of Madonnas, but again the urge passed.

“It’s not anything I did a whole lot of,” Minick said.

Fertilized by the sea cultures in Mystic and the African influenced arts of Florida and the Bahamas, Minick slowly developed a need to produce an actual body of work.

Cutting wood from a local tree felled by its own hollow trunk, Minick first saw the curved pieces yielding masks. As he began carving, the process was not so formal, drawing less from formal European concepts and more from loose drawings and paintings of spirals and abstract figures, which gave way to earthy facial forms. Each piece is the result of 15 to 40 hours of work.

Minick’s show is a joint venture with high school-friend and mixed media artist Harold Menck (SP?). Having first met in Winston-Salem in 1978, Menck and Minick shared a love of art and music. By 1985, Menck transitioned to spending most of his time developing his artistic talents, drawing from influences such as Chegall and Dali, though he was never formally trained.

Along the way, Menck discovered the blues — not as in cobalt or indigo, but as in Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. The connection was profound.

A friend and musician requested Menck set his sights on a portrait of legendary blues artist Bo Carter. Working from a photograph and using a process of layering watercolor washes and pastels, Menck created a soft, textured homage.

“I try to stay away from an image people would recognize,” Menck said.

The single portrait spawned a series, six of which also are on display at Space. Menck plans to complete 20 more portraits of blues artists such as Big Mama Thornton, Billie Holliday and Muddy Waters.

Menck and Minick’s show is on display at Space through March. The gallery is located at 254 Depot Street. For more information call 828.456.4652.