Finding the Wood
I work mostly with Walnut, Butternut, and Cherry that must be at least 15
inches in diameter. Sometimes I search in my own woods or someone will give me a log from
their back yard that cannot be made into lumber because there may be a piece of metal in
it. Friends will at times find an interesting piece of wood while working in the woods and
will drop it off at my studio. Often people commission me to carve a sculpture for them
out of some wood that comes from around their home that has special significance for them.
This usually starts a wonderful collaboration between me, the wood, and the person who
commissioned it. I have also dug stumps up to get the roots involved in the creation. To
improvise with these is wonderful. I have had a piece of wood just jump out at me with
something in it that just wants to be released. I live in an area of Wisconsin where
hardwoods and other types of wood are readily available. I feel that working with what is
around is an important part of the creative process. The wood is part of the life and
energy of my surroundings and provides a source of inspiration that a foreign object may
not.
