We have all at one point or another picked up a stick from the ground—touched the wood, peeled the bark off with our fingernails. My work taps into that same primal desire of touching nature and being close to it. Trees connect us back to nature, back to this Earth.

I start my process with a drawing of an idea. Each morning begins with a walk in the woods surrounding my studio to collect tree limbs and branches that have fallen to the ground. Next, I debark the branch to reveal the shapes that are found within each stick. Using a Japanese hand- saw, I cut and connect these small naturally formed shapes together using dowels and wood glue. Then, all the open joints get filled with a putty, which once dried is then sanded till it’s smooth. This putty and sanding process is repeated at least three times. The new sculpture appears like my original line drawing but in space. I want the work to appear as if it grew in nature, when in fact each sculpture is composed of hundreds of small pieces of wood that are meticulously crafted together.

My work can be called the ultimate recycling: taking the detritus of nature and giving it a new life. My influences are many; from looking at microscopic nature and plant life on this Earth to researching the heavenly bodies in the images beamed back from the Hubble Telescope. From studying ancient Buddhist mandalas and designs to delving deeper into quantum physics. From being inspired by the illustrations in the 15th century Voynich Manuscript to the black and white photographs from the photographer, Karl Blossfeldt, these influences are all an inspiration to me. I am interested in conveying with my work, the wonder and mysteries that are swirling and surrounding us daily.