My Story
I am not the type that likes to “tame” the natural; I embrace it! Knots, cracks, warps, and insect damage all make for more interesting and unique pieces. I incorporate resin into my work not for fashion, but to accentuate those “defects” and to create beauty from what otherwise might be mundane. I combine the natural and the “unnatural” to create colors and patterns that are uniquely about the story of the piece, the story of the wood. Much like real people (certainly true for me), the damage, scars, and imperfections tell a story and make each piece (as with each person) a more interesting individual.
About the wood
Every piece of art that I make starts with a tree, and most of those trees come from my farm. I start with trees that have already died, were damaged in a storm, or otherwise need to be taken down (e.g., by utility crews). I never cut trees that are otherwise healthy. This means that the wood that I use starts with character, blemishes, insect damage, or the beginnings of rot. I find that this wood makes my work more unique and more interesting. This kind of wood is not always the easiest to work with (and may need to be reinforced), but I find the rewards of using "othered" wood that might otherwise end up in the fireplace outweigh those costs.
​
​
Meet the Artist
My journey into wood-crafting is, like me, perhaps a bit odd. I hold a PhD and was trained as a biologist/professor; however, I also have a degree in fine art. I have made art throughout my entire life, focusing mostly on painting and photography.
So where does wood come into play? Well, during the summer of 2015 a tornado went through part of my farm in rural PA and knocked down some nice apple and walnut trees. I hated to just cut up those beautiful trees for firewood. So, I got a chainsaw mill and started making slabs. The rest, as they say, is history.
​​
But this is only part of the story.
​
To read the rest of the story and to meet the team, click here.
