Homer City, Pennsylvania
Meet the Maker: I select wood for beauty, character, and the presence of natural voids arranged aesthetically. In all my work, I inlay individual pieces of stone, shell, and metal within the voids. I do not use resin in my process. As with wood, I choose inlay materials for their aesthetic attributes. For my higher-end work, I hand-select high grade materials from known source mines. Additional characteristics of my style include the preservation of natural shapes where present and alteration to more organic shapes where possible. To preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the wood, I use only clear finishes. Insect holes, bark inclusions, knots, cracks, and other natural voids add complexity and individuality to wood. Although my work is non-representational, my objective is to accentuate these natural flaws. I use them as design elements, highlighting them with stone, shell, and metal in contrasting colors. For me, wood is like a painter’s canvas, one started by nature. The grain and figure are already there, as are the voids. I find patterns among clusters of voids and create patterns within them, using the inlay materials like paints. A self-taught artist, I developed my inlay process through much study and experimentation. A point of pride is my ability to make it appear as if the inlay has always been in the wood. I begin by placing large pieces, filling around them with progressively smaller ones until they are too small to pick up. I finish with a small amount of dust. The adhesive is not visible at the surface. This attention to detail makes it clear that the inlay is indeed natural, not colored resin. Due to the variability of wood and that of the natural inlay materials, every piece I make—whether functional or purely artistic—is one of a kind. This appeals to customers looking for something unique for themselves or as a special gift. I have had many customers tell me they have never seen anything like my work.
Homer City, Pennsylvania
Meet the Maker: I select wood for beauty, character, and the presence of natural voids arranged aesthetically. In all my work, I inlay individual pieces of stone, shell, and metal within the voids. I do not use resin in my process. As with wood, I choose inlay materials for their aesthetic attributes. For my higher-end work, I hand-select high grade materials from known source mines. Additional characteristics of my style include the preservation of natural shapes where present and alteration to more organic shapes where possible. To preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the wood, I use only clear finishes. Insect holes, bark inclusions, knots, cracks, and other natural voids add complexity and individuality to wood. Although my work is non-representational, my objective is to accentuate these natural flaws. I use them as design elements, highlighting them with stone, shell, and metal in contrasting colors. For me, wood is like a painter’s canvas, one started by nature. The grain and figure are already there, as are the voids. I find patterns among clusters of voids and create patterns within them, using the inlay materials like paints. A self-taught artist, I developed my inlay process through much study and experimentation. A point of pride is my ability to make it appear as if the inlay has always been in the wood. I begin by placing large pieces, filling around them with progressively smaller ones until they are too small to pick up. I finish with a small amount of dust. The adhesive is not visible at the surface. This attention to detail makes it clear that the inlay is indeed natural, not colored resin. Due to the variability of wood and that of the natural inlay materials, every piece I make—whether functional or purely artistic—is one of a kind. This appeals to customers looking for something unique for themselves or as a special gift. I have had many customers tell me they have never seen anything like my work.
