About the Artist
I was born and raised in Canada with a mix of french and Indian it was a happy life and now live on the west coast in Washington State. From a young age I have always enjoyed and felt drawn to everything Mother Nature has given us, but I never really did anything about it.
One day I went hiking on the Lewis and Clark trail. I had the strangest feelings and thoughts all day I felt so alive and energized. I didn't pay any real attention to them or think much about that as it was a awesome new place to hike or did I know to pay attention to them.
All day long I got very weird visions when ever I pick up anything cool especially the stick I used as my walking/snake stick at that time. I went home, then bedtime came and what a night that turned out to be. A dream that changed my life. I have heard about people getting these type of dreams but WOW. The same dream night after night. It took me all week to figure it out. I needed to go back and re-hike that day trip.
When I got there I felt drawn to go in the other direction, so I did. I hiked for about 2 miles, then I saw a beaver hut in the distance. As I got close my goose bumps started jumping, as I saw what I thought was the piece of wood I had seen in my dreams or it looked like it from a distance. I had to lose sight of it to get over to the hut, but as I walked up to the beavers hut, there it was! I had to stop and take a deep breath then I picked it up. WOW it was the exact piece of wood that had been in my dreams all week. I sat down and was in awe. I woke up from that daydream which felt like a couple hours later, I knew that was something I would never forget. At that point my whole life had changed for the good. That piece was made into the first of many masks.
More times than not when I find something I sometimes see the path it wants to go in and some cases even know where it has been. How and why I get these visions and dreams I don’t know but I do know,but they want to be heard and they always win. It is an awesome feeling and a pleasure to be chosen as this facilitator of the rebirth of these spirit woods and what mother nature gives us.
When I actually get home and get to work on it, it comes to my recall easily as there is no book or class one can take to do this work it just comes to me. In many cultures at death you return to the place where your soul longs to be. I find those souls in wood or that wood finds me. I seem to be drawn to those spirits and enjoy being the facilitator to bring them back to life or to bridge that gap they long to become. They cry out loud I love to listen, I long to be the one to help as I am drawn to the wood naturally.
As I hike, I find small pieces that will be added to a main piece. All of my pieces come with a variety of workmanship added into it such as hand sewn leather, feathers, beads, antlers, or inlayed gems, minerals, stones, bones, shells, glass or what ever you want added into your piece, just ask me I will make it happen. I take what mother nature makes and enhance them it with dreams and visions, adding some traditions and customs. Adding Values I have been taught or learned on my own allows me to deliver a very unique and 1 of a kind piece of art.
I would have never guessed or thought I would have experienced this in my life and to this day, I welcome and cherish these moments. Being able to take what Mother Nature makes and gives us and turn it into art is truly a dream come true.
Now my vision is to share my experiences with others and guide them to live a life where all art saves lives. Remember take a moment and take a walk in nature it will rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. Momma always said do it “ before you loose it “.
