There are few metaphors more apt to Balance, Connection, Interdependence and the potential of life
than the humble and unassuming tree
To look deeply into the life of trees is to look deeply into life itself.
Before it was a piece of wood on my bench, it was part of something much bigger. Part of a system designed around balance, cooperative exchange and interdependence, both in the tree’s lifecycle itself, as well as in the incredible and intricate relationship with nature’s ecosystem on the whole. That is to say, as an individual entity, as part of a community of species, as well as part of a much, much larger whole…the intersections are everywhere.
The wood on my bench tells this story as I work it over with my eyes, as I learn it through my fingertips. As I shape the wood a conversation develops between my materials and my imagination, trusting that the end result will inspire those who look, to look deeper: At nature, at our surroundings, at ourselves. To look deeper at the world we live in and the world we live on and the critical need for balance, connection and interdependence between the two.
This is where I draw inspiration from and the perspective I hope to both capture and provoke with my work and my words.
While it may be true…
While it may be true that many artists prefer to have their work speak for them and keep their thoughts to themselves, I seem not to be of this breed. The ideas that challenge me in mind, body and soul are a forces that drive my creative energy as much as anything else. Important as these ideas can be in bringing about an end result; exploring them in thought, action and process is just as significant.
For me, there is meaning in sharing these ideas alongside my journey of exploration: Sharing my words alongside my work. There is meaning in being able to be totally authentic.
I try to incorporate this into all aspects of my work, The end result, the process, the partners and materials I choose to work with, even in designing this site.
My blog, Looking Deeper is intended to be a journal of my journey with a wide range of thoughts and ideas that accompany my process. Interesting enough to me, and perhaps to me alone, but important enough to my perspective that I’d like to just get it out there.
So feel free to explore…and I hope you enjoy!