_DSC5208.JPG

I started my creative journey in wood over 20 years ago.  Initially I delved into purely wood sculpture, but later began exploring furniture designs as well.   My current work now bridges the two worlds of art and furniture.  In my early twenties I gained a lot of experience while working in the studios of Amy Howard and developed a love for furniture design while there.   Through that experience I learned so much about the intricacies of wood finishes, both painted and stained.   The woodworking and carving I taught myself over the years, never feeling like there was a limit to what I could do with the media.  Through the years I perfected my craft and blended my sculptural wood carving with my furniture designs.  My aesthetic now utilizes the organic movement of nature and breaths life into sculptural furniture and art. I am an ambassador for the spirit of the trees with which I work.  I draw inspiration from the ancient mountains that surround me and work to uncover the essence of each tree I am graced to work with.  I’m pioneering a unique process of carving, steam bending, and then carving again.  Each piece is unfolded through carving and steaming, highlighting the unique potential that hides inside with an alchemy of carving, steam, and fire. I was the recipient of a 2022 artist support grant from the North Carolina Arts Council. I was a competing artist in the 2023 ArtFields competition and was selected to participate in the Wilson Arts 3rd Annual National Multi-Media Juried Art Exhibition. I’m a lifelong artist that explores the themes of balance and beauty while working to demonstrate our collective potential through the pieces I create.