Carving Dragon

Artistic Process

The journey of each of this sculpture starts in the Uinta branch of the Rocky Mountains, where aspens are considered a weed. Although aspen carves well it is overlooked because of how many knots and branches it has.

The tree then has to die from disease, insects, drought, and a hot summer. The result of the process are spectacular rings of color. Rescued from the forest, I feel what the piece will be. I take my chisel and mallet and carefully remove the wood, where each stroke is a conversation guided by the wood.

Once the carving and sanding are complete, the wood is made whole with tung oil. This seeps deep into the core of the wood, giving it strength, and highlighting the natural colors. The result is a piece that is unique, that will not fade with time, and contains all the marks of the journey it went through.

Artistic Statement

With my mallet and chisels, I take unique pieces of wood and have a conversation to create beauty.