A Ghost in Walnuts. Carved from American black walnut with spalting and layered walnut inlays, this piece plays on the natural cathedral grain that’s always reminded me of ghostly shapes. The little guy, ghost shoes and all, holds a small unreadable sign. I like to think of him as quietly apologetic, maybe misunderstood, maybe just trying to say something that can’t be heard anymore. Who knows? He’s a ghost.
Jacked Carved from solid Padauk, this piece started as a quick doodle that turned into a full jack-o’-lantern. The eyes, nose, and mouth were cut out and filled with translucent acrylic tinted with yellow pigment, giving the face a soft, billowing glow when light hits it. The stem is also cast in acrylic, hand-drawn with detail lines to mimic a real stem’s texture. One side is shaped and sanded smooth, while the back is power-carved for texture. The rough carving catches light through the translucent acrylic, making the whole piece shift and come alive in different lighting.
The Pride. Set of three Detroit Lions Tribute Pieces Crafted out of stripped black walnut, ambrosia maple, and cherry with gorgeous streaks of pink. With creative freedom, I originally planned to pair each backer with a contrasting hardwood, but I kept going back and forth on which combo I liked best. Eventually landed on keeping each species together, but thought it was a fun concept to make them magnetically float on center, allowing each lion to be easily removed and swapped. That way, the final design is left up to their new owners Commissioned for a fellow Michigander transplanted to the Sunshine State and his two adult sons.
Thunderstruck. Paneled, ambrosia maple for the face, padauk for Thunder’s mane and eye, all set in Bronco Navy resin and surrounded by clear acrylic.
for the spookiest charcuterie around. Cherry skull set in hard maple, then charred and waxed.
Boootiful! American Black Walnut cut & serve trays with differing ghost inlays carved from solid Corian.
till the season for curly maple and black walnut. Layered hardwood holiday tree serving dish.
