Creating with my hands, heart, and intention
While still in elementary school, I set up a small wood shop in the corner of my family's dark and humid Stone Mountain basement. There, with a soundtrack of overhead footsteps and cricket songs, I began to work with a hammer, nails, and a simple hand saw. I don't remember what projects, if any, I finished during those early days, but I do remember the sense of promise and peace that I felt as I worked at my table. A purpose discovered and lived into there in my mostly subterranean world.
Fast forward through a couple of decades of school and teaching, and thankfully, i reconnected with my love of creating. This resurgence began with ceramic tiles found tossed in a dumpster and the chance to give them a new life as mixed media creations. From there, I let my love of power tools dictate the path and I purchased a scroll saw. It was love at first cut.
Everything you see here is created by me in my small Atlanta workshop. I work with a variety of woods; reclaimed or re-purposed when possible, and the rest is purchased from local wood shops or family lumber businesses. I love meeting people who have built their lives around wood and art and learning from them along the way. A guiding intention for my work is to create beautiful pieces of art that honor all the wood I use while generating as little waste as possible.
Each creation you see here is a true labor of love at each step of the journey. Pieces of wood are carefully hand chosen with consideration given to their stability, grain pattern, their story, their color and other qualities. I prepare and cut each piece individually using my scroll saw; they find shape on its well loved cast iron table. Once cut, a great deal of sanding and detail work takes place to bring the design to life. Pieces are then either finished with a combination of varnish and oil to showcase their natural grain or they are given many coats of paint by hand.
It takes many steps and processes to get the wood from plank form into the finished pieces. Please note: If the listing says "made to order," please be advised that the creation time will likely take two weeks before your piece is ready to ship. Need a piece quickly or by a certain date? Please send me a message so I can work with you and meet your needs.
Don't feel limited by what you see here, I always welcome new ideas and requests. Custom orders are available. If you have something in mind or are curious about a possibility, please send me a message.
This shop and the support that I am finding here for my art are a dream come true. Thank you for taking the time to visit and see my work.