I carved the first of my wooden animals, a rocking dog, in 1985 as a gift for my daughter Anna, then two years old. This was the first in a long sequence of creatures. People who had maintained a polite silence over my sculptural abstract furniture became animated by my creatures. The trash man and UPS driver took to checking in on my current carving; I enjoy myself while carving or painting, and it is a joy when others share my pleasure.

My kids were very much a part of my work. When younger they crayoned on one end of a sculpture while I carved the other. Anna grew into a confident critic: "Dad, you really like weird things". When Nathaniel was four he commissioned a four animal functioning merry-go-round (available for free rides at my gallery). It was Anna's insistence that I had to paint the merry-go-round animals that started me painting parts of my sculpture. Perhaps this gave me the confidence at age 52 to venture into two-dimensional art.

Each sculpture is usually carved from a single log, though I feel free to add wood as necessary. I rough out the sculpture with a chain saw, then do the majority of the shaping with carving chisels. If I want a smooth texture on the sculpture I next smooth with a power sander followed by hand sanding. I then may decorate with paint or beads before a final finish with furniture oil.

I lived six years of my childhood and early adulthood in Africa, which together with my parents' interest in African sculpture has had significant influence on my art. I have expanded this interest to a love of international folk art which dominates the decor of my home.

These paintings were a new departure for me in 2003. I have been making carved wood sculptures since the late 1960s. The paintings were prompted initially by my wanting to spend a period of the Vermont winter in Mexico. I wanted to continue art work during that period, but attempting to take home wood sculptures on the airplane seemed overwhelming. Paintings were an exciting, and much more portable, change. Now that I've started, I continue making them back in Vermont.

The acrylic paints, fabrics and papers are painted or glued to art canvas. These are often cut out separately, arranged together and glued down to the full size painting. I have the freedom of rearranging, discarding, or re-making the individual elements. Sometimes the end result is quite different than I had originally anticipated.

I have worked as a furniture maker, art teacher, house designer/builder, maple syrup farmer and blown glass ornament designer. I have written two juvenile how-to building books and an adult book on vegetable gardening. I in a stone house I built myself in Cornwall, Vermont - a beautiful location with views across fields, orchards and to the Adirondacks.

My gallery, studio and merry-go-round are at the same location. Open by appointment or chance. The Gallery is closed January 1st to March 15th, though I can be contacted by email.