What kind of items do you make?

Primarily I plan to focus on woodcarving mostly. I will add products here and there depending on the response I may continue them or not. Carving boards are something I do like making but to be unique in that field you have to utilize a lot of exotic woods and that adds greatly to the cost of the item. And my boards are less intended for a day to day usage but partly for show, partly for gift items, birthday, holidays, weddings etc.

But carving is my preference. I don’t use any computer aided tools to make anything. Everything is done by hand and eye. I trained in high school as a graphic artist just literally as the field was being taken over by computers. I watched everything I learned to do by hand go up in smoke overnight.

Still, I am not afraid of computers. I work with them all the time. I’m quite proficient in computer software and hardware repairs. And I became good at working with them in graphic design too. And they are capable of wonderful things.

And like any computer based systems, they can be overused and become worrisome. I’ve watched my original graphic art field be supplanted by them, when I worked in the film industry a great deal of work has again been replaced by them. And in this field, there are large quantities of people producing work that they essentially hit “print” and a machine carves it for them.

Even the masters, the works of Michelangelo, Bernini and on can be scanned and carved by great machines out of marble.

This is not to say that great work cannot be created this way. Somebody still needs to create a 3d file to print from. I give more credit to someone who produces their work themselves sculpting a 3d file and simply using the machines to produce a practical copy.

Still, there is room for others to share, copy, lift and steal others work too this way, modify it every so slightly and call it their own. And for that reason I’m not totally on board.

There can be a day, somewhat Star Trek like, where you don’t buy it online but perhaps the file itself where you have a machine that will print it for you at home. Or dish soap that is mixed by that same machine. Eventually food.

We have not scratched the surface of what is going to be coming down the road regarding plastic printing machines, CNCs, and the like. It can accomplish wonders and do a great deal of good. But it could also diminish human creativity to the point that everything is spit out of some piece of hardware with no human touch till it comes off the press.

Do you make furniture?

I have for my home use. Since I don’t have a physical store I don’t find its something I wish to engage in simply due to the size and storage of items I would have to contain till sold. I may accept specific requests depending on time and material. I’m not ruling it out.

Do you work with Epoxy in any of your products?

That’s a toughie. I can appreciate some things made in and or with epoxy. Some are quite beautiful. Some can be a bit much for my taste. My background in film effects gives me a very broad experience in a tremendous amount other materials. From basic plasters to fiberglass, reinforced epoxies, silicones, urethane and on and on. But one of the reasons I prefer to stay with wood is simply less chemicals. It’s totally natural wood of course and I prefer to keep it that way than to add plastic to it unless there’s a specific reason to. I don’t really want to contribute to more plastic waste in the world than necessary.

Would you do portraits?

Yes! I would enjoy doing portraits. They’re of course the most challenging thing to do in art. To capture someone’s personality is not easy. Some mediums are easier to do that in than others. But that’s something I probably would start with a clay sculpture, refine it and get the likeness right and approved by the client before making the final version. But that is also something that could be made directly from the clay model into another material if asked. I can give options and make suggestions should you wish to contact me and go over it.

Do you do chainsaw carving?

As of right now? No. I’m mostly staying with smaller grinding tools and wood chisels and gouges. But it’s something I will be looking at too, a little down the road.