My animal sculptures serve to express my understanding of the rhythms that exist in nature. Everything in the world is connected; it is a fragile ecosystem where without one of its members it could fail. Each animal I have made has taught me something about nature. My aesthetic choices were lightly influenced by Egyptian, Native American, and Prehistoric animal carvings. My work in the studio is a constant struggle trying to make my carvings look realistic. I choose materials I am comfortable with, and have found a passion for working in stone ever since taking my first geology course. My first three-dimensional piece was made out of wood, and since day one I have found that carving is my preferred method of expression. Every time I make a mark on the material it shows. Sometimes those marks are inspired by natural elements of the material like a knot in the wood or a joint in the stone. Just like man has made his mark on nature; being a sculptor makes me a mark maker. I have to be hyper-aware of how I mark my materials because it could be irreversible, a concept which is directly associated with how humans should view nature and the ecosystems we affect.

“Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” Leonardo da Vinci

Biography

I am a stone and wood carver based out of Beckley, WV. I received my BFA in sculpture from Marshall University in Huntington, five minutes down the road from where I grew up. After college I moved to Pittsburgh for work and quickly realized that there’s no place in this world like West Virginia. Now I am back in WV; for good it seems. I began my art career with furniture making and custom design for two different companies. Now, I have focused more of my time on my own work. I have shown work in exhibitions and shows between Huntington, WV and Pittsburgh, PA.

Other Creative Skills

Drawing, Installation Art Design & Production, Metalworking, Printmaking, Public Art Design & Production, Sculpting, Woodworking