Bio
Wood will tell a story if it's free to speak.
Interacting with nature has become an increasing need for people. Logging MATURE TREEs on the farm where we live is the source of my wood. Various slabs of wood inspire me, and I look for a new life and purpose, finding shapes that may give other people a feeling of interacting with nature.
I use wood combinations that complement one another and provide the material thickness needed to construct and design tables with simple lines presenting the wood. I look for ways to let the wood's natural character and colors fully express itself. That includes using wood with its naturally occurring cracks, sapwood or spalted wood.
Warped and unusually shaped slabs from the limbs of a 200-year-old Red Elm that died as I was building a house inspired my woodworking interest. As I realized how expressive this old Red Elm was, I explored carving vessels, trays, and sculptures and progressed to small furniture.
I look for flowing lines in the age rings of the tree to create a proper form and function that best presents the wood.
Bringing out the wood's beauty and making it attractive and valuable again is rewarding. I like to keep it as natural and straightforward as possible. Finding harmony in the lines and an appealing use value is essential.
To preserve the wood, I finish each piece with a natural patina and healthy luster.
I work out of a small workshop with a covered outdoor area that allows me to interact as much as possible with nature. I'm a self-taught woodworker, educated and experienced as a dairy scientist and engineer.