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My goal is to create realistic wood sculptures that reflect my ideas of nature and to share it with others. Natural art is found all around us, the wonderful complexities in colors and patterns I find unlimited thru out this area. The materials I need to carve are found right in my backyard, my subjects swim in the river and fly in the forests, the perfect setting to create art. Most of my work starts as a idea which I then draw. I keep drawing until I capture the essence of the piece. Using pictures, I then study the coloration needed to make it realistic with paint. Most of the carving will be done before I start with the wood. When I have done enough pre planning and know what to do,
I then start roughing out the piece. Depending on the size and difficulties of the piece I work fairly quickly. Once the rough cut is done the pace slows way down to capture the details. This is where the drawing pays off because the familiarity of the subject by drawing transfers to the wood. Carving takes a lot of time, it goes at its own pace. I don't keep track of how long a piece takes. I don't care; the end result is all that matters. When done, I'm happy it looks like the drawing I made. And even more so when the paint is finished. My greatest satisfaction is when people think it's real and not wood, then I like it. Since the work I do is original, I only put a completion date and my signature. I only do 12 to 24 pieces a year so my work is limited. I do not work on commission but on my own art passions. This frees up my creative process.
