Our Story
A Little History
Recently, I came across this picture of cross section of a Redwood tree that had been cut down (reason for cutting it down was not given). I made a number of observations about this picture (size, age, etc.), but what really spoke to me was while historical events were occurring all over the world over decades, the tree continued to grow. It continued to push forward -through the outer ring, telling its own story.
As I was contemplating starting a business featuring my creative designs, I felt like this picture embodied some of the important elements of my work:
- Telling your own unique story
- Pushing forward, persevering through the elements
- Continuing to grow
- Displaying “one of a kind’ beauty, different than any others around it
click to enlarge
My work gravitates toward the following three areas, sometimes in combination, sometimes in a stand-alone fashion:
Vintage – I love visiting antique stores. They are often filled with items that were beautiful and functional in their day. Their owners were initially excited to have them. But, as our society moves own, they are cast aside in favor of newer, shinier and more functional items. I believe they have stories to tell, not unlike the Redwood – they have witnessed so much. My desire is to bring these items back to life, sometimes to begin a new story.
Music – At key times in my life, music has been my place of refuge and retreat. Whether it emerges from the storytellers of our time – men and women who weave poetry and musical notes together into something magical or from musical instruments who tell stories without using spoken word. My instrument of choice has been guitar and finds its way into a lot of my creations – whether it’s from the design itself or what it represents.
Wood – I have always been fascinated with wood – particularly hardwoods. Like the Redwood, no two pieces are exactly alike. It is not unusual for a beautiful piece of wood to evoke emotions in me – I am struck by their beauty. I often feel like the piece has a story it wants to tell and it’s my job to figure it out. Sometimes that story is through a piece of furniture and sometimes it emerges by combining with music and/or vintage pieces. I have been fortunate to have access to many beautiful pieces of wood often originating in the mountains of North Carolina.
Each piece that I offer will have the following:
A name – By giving the piece a name (sometimes descriptive, sometimes not), I am honoring the uniqueness of the piece.
Story – When known, I will offer up a historical context for the elements of the creations. This honors the past by acknowledging the age and story of the pieces. When wood is used, I will offer up some information about the wood elements.
Finally – 10% of each sale will go to charity. Charities will have the same theme – this time around human beings. Charities that will allow their constituents to continue to tell their story – often by beginning a new chapter in their lives. Stay tuned as I ‘tell the story” of the charity here with appropriate links to learn more.
