In addition to a successful career as a commercial photographer, I became interested in wood turning and began creating pieces in the mid 90's.

 

Within a short few years, I added sculpting to the turning of the wood and quickly realized I could sculpt the entire piece, allowing me unlimited creative freedom to achieve a unique creation that let each piece of wood express its individuality.

 

Burl in a Barn

My wife Donna and I live on several acres in what was once a horse boarding barn, now converted to our workshop/house.

 

My Inspiration

Almost without exception, my inspiration is the wood itself. Invariably, if I do start out with some plan or shape in mind, the finished piece never turns out that way. So I look for wood (mostly local but some exotic) that has some odd, twisted, curvy, or somewhat exaggerated proportion. Burl or really nice grain can trump all of those characteristics, though, and send me off in a totally unexpected direction.

 

A preconceived plan never seems to work for me. Once I start grinding or trimming down a piece of wood and see something that looks good, I wouldn't want to take it out just to make it fit a plan I may have had in mind.

 

Likewise if I get into the wood a little and there is some undesirable area, I obviously want to take it out. Once in awhile, I'll get into a piece of wood and find nothing inspiring in it, or some fatal flaw and it ends up on the burn pile.

 

My Design Philosophy

As an artist working in three dimensional space, I have only have three design elements to work with on my wood pieces: inside curves, outside curves and flat planes. What gives my creations their personal style are the choices I make— the way I transition from one curve to another and the proportions of the three elements I balance within the piece.

 

I believe a visual object should be a joy to touch as well as see, so I spend a great deal of time on finishing: sanding, rubbing with steel wool and oiling, mostly with tung oil.

 

The Process

I shape my pieces with a variety of grinders and sanders, mostly air powered. The general shape is roughed out to a thickness of from a 1/2" to 1 1/2" depending mostly on size. They are dried slowly in cardboard boxes for six months to a year. When selected to be finished the real work and joy of creation begins. Refining the shape and thinning them down to usually 1/4" to 1/2", being careful not to grind or sand through takes a good deal of time and patience. Then the finishing can begin and it is all hand work, no power tools from this point on.

 

Some of my Hopes

With my photography as well as my wood sculpture, I hope people will buy my work, take it home, and enjoy it for many years to come.

 

As perhaps you can tell, I like to keep it short and sweet, including when I'm talking about my own work. I have always believed a visual object should not need to be explained. I understand many like to hear a good story about what they are thinking of purchasing, or the person who made it. I hope my rather brief story and or meager story telling skills will inspire you to take a piece of my work home with you.

 

The Process