Carvings Emerge

The life of the wood that I started with took new form as images came to be. The images tell a story, to identify with a particular person, or simply to remind us of the power of things so much larger or powerful than we are. The natural world has provided not only the images, but also more recently added to my style of artwork. While traditional pieces of this type incorporated stone, bark and mother of pearl, I’ve begun developing my own style to strengthen my technical skills.

Last year I added metal inlay to an eagle piece that mimics the wind currents where eagles soar. Now, I’m finishing a piece that incorporates mother of pearl, metal and glass inlay. New pieces in my sketchbook will incorporate more and more glass. I’ve followed Preston Singletary’s glasswork for almost a decade now, and have watched how glass can add to or replace the magic of wood in his work. My sketches will not become all glass pieces, but increasingly, I want to use metal, stone and glass to represent the diversity of nature, bringing these elements into the strength and piece of wood.

My sketchbook also calls for more diversity as I work both traditional images and contemporary adaptations in the months ahead. The good news, for me at least, is that I’m returning to that balance of life where art draws the major portion of my time and “work” plays less and less of a role. You are the judge of the art, but certainly it has given me the life that everyone goes out to seek and for that I at least appreciate the work of my eyes and hands.

Be certain to visit On The Bench, which features my most recent work in progress.