Looking inside – at the center of things – is an underlying theme that I have pursued in my work with people as well as in my work as an artist.
Being a wood turner of green woods allows me to look deep inside the tree and carry on a dialogue.
The green wood is still full of movement, wanting to take back its own shape after I turned it into something that is momentarily round. Then I step aside and let the wood seek its own perfection.
The drying process is delicate, referring to a sense of mystery, balance and the fragility of life. Sometimes cracks occur, sometimes fluid movement results. After the drying is completed it is my turn to respond to the new shape, the cracks, the imperfections, so that they will reflect the reality of a less then perfect world instead of being viewed as flawed.
I use dyes and patterns to invite a closer look and investigation: Is it glass? Is it pottery? It is wood!
The patterns originate from memory, dreams, imagination. The vessel, when given a new appearance, allows a quiet conversation to take place: Who am I really? How does my appearance, my attitude effect my inner being? Does it enhance the self or cover it up? Through these processes I strive to show the pureness of the wood – the essence of being.
The process of my work is self-discovery. The pieces are felt and become known to me only to be discovered anew through the beholder’s imagination who decides and investigates the function of the piece.
