As a boy, I would split my free time between exploring the dense Appalachian forest that surrounded my hometown of Athens, Ohio; and at my father's art studio. Inspired by the magnificence of my forest playground, I'd sit on the floor of the studio and paint and carve a series of trees out of the cypress wood my dad had delivered from Florida.

Like for most of us, life, interests, ambition and time slowly separated me from my childhood passion of crafting wooden trees. But, as fate would have it, I didn't completely walk away from the wood working world. My 45-year career in the guitar industry kept me tied to woodworking. It was at the tail end of that career that my wife suggested I turn some Christmas trees. Little did she know that by taking her up on the suggestion, it would re-ignite my interest in sculpting trees that started at age 7.

The satisfaction and pleasure that comes from transforming a piece of wood into a tactile and visual object is hard to describe. Whether it’s small trees or turning other one-of-a-kind pieces, the magic and wonder of sculpted designs emerging from various woods is never lost on me. Each piece is as unique as the species itself, and my goal is that my deep respect for the tree it came from is ever present.