My Process Begins

Driftwood is a remarkable thing. It has provided humans with shelter, warmth, and tools for thousands of years. It can protect and stabilize an ocean shoreline or present a dangerous obstacle to mariners. But as material for creating fine art sculptures? Let's talk about that.

About Driftwood

I strive to honor the wildness of the material I use in my Alaska driftwood sculptures. The forces of water, rocks, sunlight, and time do much of my work for me. My job as an artist is to discern how the pieces should come together in a way that respects the driftwood's ocean-borne heritage while creating fresh forms that reimagine what Alaska Driftwood Art can be.

The wood can be quite beautiful, but the sea cannot form driftwood into geometrical shapes, such as spheres, circles, and cubes. Nature creates the living tree, and natural forces sculpt and polish it once it becomes driftwood. It is left to me to reinterpret the material in a way that highlights the uniqueness of each piece of wood, while emphasizing its natural beauty.

My goal is to incorporate each piece of wood into an assembled sculpture that preserves the shape and texture imposed by natural elements while presenting driftwood in a natural and beautiful way.