The desire to create is a part of who I am. For me, there is a direct correlation between my work and how I view humanity. We all begin as so much raw material, and if we allow it, through life's challenges, through suffering, through joy, through gratitude, we can be formed into something of substance. I see my material as I am seen: raw, dirty, often half-rotten, and laying in a ruinous pile. I can see in that mess the potential for beauty, for new life. I desire to draw forth that beauty, to give life to what was dead. While it may be true that in one sense I am in control of my materials, in another, I am an active partner responding to what I have uncovered inside. My work is an exploration of wood and the colors and patterns in the grain. It is an exploration of the form and texture waiting to be discovered—a journey to bring fluidity from the rigid. It is an exploration of myself and what lies hidden inside. It is a place of communion with my maker and his awe-inspiring creation.