Driftwood is a remarkable thing. It has provided humans with shelter, warmth, and tools for thousands of years.

I select and gather all the materials used in each driftwood sculpture myself. Almost all of it comes from the beaches of northwestern Prince William Sound.

I let my ideas for a new sculpture be guided by what I've seen during countless beach walks. How would these sticks look if they had just been tossed up by a storm?

From Prince William Sound, Alaska, to my studio on Fidalgo Island, Washington, collecting driftwood, loading them on a boat is the first step in a long journey.