The tree has always been with me. A steadfast companion no matter where life takes me. Open to the creative process, going beyond boundaries and the expected suits my curious bent. Over thirty years of painting and creating has lead to being a fine art woodworker. Developing my own methods and techniques with woodstain has been challenging and rewarding. One never ceases learning and pivoting.
It's beautifully translucent and warm, yet it's the most unforgiving medium I’ve worked with. And still, it calls to me. No medium felt quite right until woodstain. It's the only proof that I possess patience. Unlike placing an order for ready-made canvas, I must search for my substrates. Then prepare them. Further still, to achieve my stain-painting results, more time is required. Layer upon layer.
As a substrate, wood is beyond unique. It’s alive. It expands and contracts as I work. It responds to temperature changes, and each species interacts with stain differently. A true testament to wood's individual character.
The work on vintage substrates pairs with my respect for the tree. Reimagining them is a sustainable and conscientious means of creating and owning fine premium art. Vintage substrates come with age and craftsmanship from an earlier time, imbuing narrative and history into each one.
Clues to their intriguing past-lives are often evident with some of the markings I purposefully keep. It enhances composition while providing proof of its authenticity. Every piece is carefully prepared. In each unique design, cracks, nails, dents... they remain as part of the work. A reminder to view our own imperfections as beautiful, remarkable, and one-of-a kind. In a culture drenched with manufactured perfection, I lean toward excellence instead.
'Discovery' is a joy. This sometimes leads to providing written clues about the vintage piece into each shipment I pack myself. Imagining the story behind an inconspicuous marking is thrilling for those who love history.
Helping others begin or grow their fine art journey is a passion. —It's a special kind of pride when you own a fine work that inspires you, one that has seen and done much in a previous life before reaching your hands. I pass this pleasure onto discerning art lovers across the globe. We are stewards of history, beauty, and art.
Remembering a few pieces of art in my childhood home, it was far more than just part of the decor. The right work of art elevates the room, the impression, and those in it. Be it a piece to compliment a capsule collection or a bespoke design for a mature one, Art gifts us an enriched life experience. It's also an investment in family. With proper care it remains generation after generation, lifting and teaching those that follow us the asset and value in quality crafted fine art.
Socrates