woodcarving

Go On, Brother Lawrence

Go On, Brother Lawrence is a small wood engraving, carved and printed by hand from a boxwood block. Brother Lawrence (born Nicolas Herman) was a 17th century Discalced (barefoot) Carmelite monk. I will fall short to try to describe him in a brief statement, rather, I encourage you to read the small collection of his letters and conversations, Practicing the Presence of God. He has been a significant influence in my faith and work since I first encountered him in art school, over two decades ago. Brother Lawrence sought out the presence of God at all times and in all things, notably, in his daily labor as a cook and dishwasher and later as a repairer of sandals- the subject of this print- and in so many ways he became the present Christ to very many who came into contact with him.

If you would like to purchase one of these prints they are available in my store, Baumwerkshop.

the boxwood block during the carving process
the block in an early state, inked for proofing
block and print
the original drawing from my sketchbook

Spoons for Poets

Hummingbird Spoon in Cherry

This spoon was carved on commission to be given as a gift to a Kansas poet and photographer, Michelle Terry.

Amos’ Spoon in Osage Orange

I carved this humble eating spoon for my friend Seth Wieck, a poet in Amarillo, Texas, in reference to his epic poem, Ulysses Arrives in Amarillo.

Crane Cabinets in Ebonized Walnut

Below is a gallery of images of a pair of cabinets built for the bathroom of a couple in Wichita. They are constructed from native (specifically South Eastern Kansas) black walnut, solid and veneered, and white oak. The exterior surfaces were “ebonized” using a process which employs the chemical reaction of an iron solution with tannins in the wood, rendering it black. The design of cranes and bamboo were carved into the surface revealing again the natural color of the walnut in the incised lines. I hired Taylor Johnson to build the casework itself. Using traditional methods, the interior framework is a solid skeleton held together with dovetail and mortise and tenon joints. Taylor fabricated plywood with extra thick shop-made walnut veneer to be able to handle carving without passing through to the inner layers. His focus and skill allowed me to give attention to the design challenges and the artwork and carving and exterior finishing the cabinets. My gratitude goes out to Taylor for his tenacity and dedication to excellence, and also to Steve Hebert, who generously gave his time and energy to brilliantly photograph the cabinets in situ.

The Benthic Vessel

Benthic:  of, relating to, or occurring in the depths of the ocean (from Merriam-Webster).  So dubbed by my friend, Tom, this form is known as The Benthic Vessel (in red oak).  No one is sure whether they like it or not at first, including me.

Crosstimber Tables

These images document a build in its early stage of a family of black walnut tables, centered around a richly grained and beautifully colored walnut tree which we salvaged from a farm near Winfield, Kansas.  The tables are a collaboration between my best friend/business partner and myself, sharing designing and building tasks to create, what we hope, are some authentically good pieces of furniture in the continuing tradition of live-edge/natural-slab furniture.

Gallery

Carved Spoons

carved walnut ladle
carved pear spoon
carved pear spoon
cherry wood spoon
cherry wood spoon
Walnut spoon
walnut spoon
carved pear-wood spoon
carved pear-wood spoon
carved pear-wood spoon
walnut spoon
walnut spoon
pear wood cooking spoon
pear-wood spoon (root and leaf)

Sister Hog, Brother Tree, and the Voice of Copper: a Celebration of Long Labor and Process

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