Celtic Art as a Living Tradition

As a living art form, Celtic Art can only be sustained by pursuing the goal of mastery of the creative process that ultimately results in new and imaginative work. The work shown here is not an imitation of historical Celtic Art but rather an affirmation that new and original creations are authentic continuations of that artistic heritage.

The work illustrated on these pages represents the creative effort of Stephen Walker and various other craftsmen and designers. With the exceptions of several of the simplest knots, none of these designs should be considered public domain. It is commonly and wrongly supposed that all Celtic designs are ancient and therefore free from copyright restrictions. The truth is that new, traditionally correct designs often look as if they could be very old, but they are none-the-less intellectual property of the artist.

Use of copyright designs by anyone other than the artist requires permission in the case of personal use or a licensing agreement in the case of commercial use. All rights reserved.

How Can a New Design Be Protected?

Firstly a distinction should be made between historic designs, which are copied from antique sources and traditional designs that follow the rules and conventions of Celtic Art. New designs can be traditionally authentic without being copied from old sources when the designer is faithful to the cultural style. Original graphic designs of this kind may be protected by copyright. The Josephine knot is an historic knot that has been used for centuries and falls in the public domain. However, the handmade carvings that these rings are cast from are unique renderings of the Josephine knot and are thus protected as original works. Reproducing this jewelry by digitally scanning it or by any other method of mechanically or electronically reproducing it is strictly prohibited. Unlike the Josephine's knot, most other jewelry designs by Stephen Walker are unique and original designs.

Do feel free to copy any of the JPEGs on this site if you wish to e-mail them to friends, lovers or family in the process of shopping and comparing. Please obtain permission before publishing any of our JPEGs to a web page.

When the design is original, as with the Ceol mo Chridhe ring (R2), both the design and the carving are protected by copyright. The original knot work pattern of this ring may not be copied without permission in any media.

About the Author

Stephen Walker has been handcrafting Celtic jewelry in Andover, NY since 1984. His designs reflect both respect for Celtic traditions and the creative vision of a contemporary artist — each piece is original work, never simply copied from antiquity.

Learn more about Stephen & Susan Walker →