About Me

I began sculpting in my late adolescence by simply using a Swiss army knife, and some X-Acto knives and grabbing anything and everything which was laying around. I mostly used branches, twigs, roots and any other wood which would come to me at zero cost, and which was easily accessible. The odder the piece, the better. From early on, I was driven. When an idea came to me, I had to figure it out by making a plan, designing it, and creating it. Perhaps why I love the symbol of puzzles is because I love to be challenged to take my visions and turn them into real life objects.

Using wood is an interesting medium and I prize it for its uniqueness from piece to piece. Wood isn’t simply an object, it is a life cut short. Each tree grew in a certain way for a reason, and developing a plan and design to commemorate the tree’s life and growth pattern is important to me. The sculpture and design must flow and be eye pleasing and seem natural. I prize different types of wood, and love to use anything which presents a unique feel, colour, or design. The odder and stranger the piece, the more fun the creation.

Michelangelo once stated, “In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.” For me, sculpting is exactly like that. It is crucial to follow the flow of the grain, the growth and the colour to effectively design something which flows with the growth, and does not fight the life which once lived, but is a testament to the original tree. This is why most of my pieces are not painted, as I seek to pull out the natural wood colour.

I have entered many different sculpting competitions all over Ontario, and in the United States, and won many different awards of recognition. My work has also been published in Chip Chats Magazine, and has been showcased in different galleries. I sell my work, and also take on commissions.

Workshop supervisor and foreman : Marlow

Bark Sculptures

Bark carvings are created and designed in such a way to emphasize the natural shape and design of the tree’s growth. Most carvings are designed by carefully studying each piece of wood, and then developing sketches which bring out the natural beauty of the wood. These are fun to create, because the wood is soft and brittle, and sculpting a piece requires flexibility in one’s planning; creating more of surrealist approach at times. Most bark sculptures are made with Cottonwood, Willow or driftwood.

Octopus and Tentacles

I have a passion for creating different octopus and tentacles. I love to push myself and challenge myself when creating a piece, and the odd ever-changing shape and adaptability of an octopus seemed like the perfect idea to sculpt. I often go hiking and searching for odd looking twisted pieces for the longer tentacles. They range from Hawthorn trees, old Cedar driftwood, roots, and Sumac. Once again, I love to pull out the natural growth of the branches or roots to maximize my designs.

Furniture

I create furniture from different types of woods. I hate seeing wood go to waste, so I often collect antique solid wood doors, strip them of the paint which covered their natural colour, and refinish them. They often possess imperfections, as I create and design the furniture in such a way to maximize the amount of wood I can use. Door knob holes, metal dowels, and screw holes are often present, but they are fixed and used to pull out a more rustic look.

I am currently designing furniture created from logs and stumps.

Driftwood

Driftwood is always fun and interesting. Each piece is odd and unique and seems to have a world of possibilities. I enjoy hiking and walking shorelines in search of interesting oddities which stand out. Sometimes I see the piece in its element, and an idea comes to mind immediately, and other times, it takes a long study and multiple sketches to pull out the best design. With being a wood sculptor, comes being a wood enthusiast, and collector. When I am at a loss for an idea to sculpt, I simply start to scavenge through my stockpiles; and it is often the driftwood which provides my salvation to sculpting block, by providing a new idea or concept to develop.