Table lamp Sculpture

I come from a family of craftsman spanning generations. It was rich and fertile ground for a kid. My mom was my biggest mentor. She was an oil painter and made sure I was exposed to all kinds of art and theater throughout my childhood. When I was 16 I began working on my uncles fishing boat in Alaska where I saw raw beauty unfettered by progress. I enjoyed and endured this trade for 18 years. The things I've seen are unbelievable. It was a grand and wondrous experience which profoundly affected me in my life and greatly inspired my desire to carve. Why do I carve? Because, I am fortunate and patient enough to be able to do so. I've been given a gift and must not waste it. It honors my family and our tradition. When beginning a new work I will spend weeks analyzing my subject. Strategizing its execution and the effort seems to pay off. Most of the time, I've been able to create what I envision first try. Other times I contribute to probably the fanciest firewood pile in the state. Literally blood, sweat and tears go into each project. The passion for this work consumes me and friends know to come by and ask, " Did you eat yet today?" I think to myself " Huh, that explains the dizzy feeling."