Artist Statement
For centuries, the harshest elements of nature have shaped my selected medium. In the wilds of Montana, the twisted wood of the Rocky Mountain Juniper tree evokes a sense of tortured endurance. To travel through a twisted juniper grove, viewing ancient trees and collecting long-dead specimens, is an exercise in humility. These old, dead trees saw the world change around them and lost the tug-of-war with nature somewhere along the way. As I see it, my job as a sculptor is to collect the most compelling subjects and tell the story contained within the wood. I let the wood speak to me as I carve, following the natural flow and curvature of each piece. This brings to light a grain and coloration hidden for ages. By doing this, I hope to bring the tree back to life in a new form and for a new audience. My goal for a finished work is for its viewers to feel the same sense of fascination, beauty, and humility that I do while viewing live juniper trees in the wild.