OUR UNIQUE PROCESS
I have always had the passion for nature that fuels my inspiration today. My favorite time of year is fall--the crisp air and colorful foliage. When I began my art career I drew on this for the design of my sculpture and furniture, carving or inlaying leaves in nearly everything I made and building tables with wrought iron legs resembling roots. At the same time, I developed a habit of incorporating natural materials such as moss, tree branches, and pebbles into sculptures made from wood, marble and iron.

In my senior year of college I began to try to find a way to make my sculptures more functional. At the same time, I chose to use materials that would otherwise have been wasted. My first such project involved the salvage of a mahogany futon frame that had been discarded by the roadside. From this recycled, tropical wood, I hand carved leaves to adorn the furniture which I made from local hardwoods. The wood scraps that resulted became the first of a series of hardwood mosaic sculptures of the female form. I never stain the wood to obtain the colors I want for the subject of the inlays. When I have needed the range of hues only found in tropical hardwoods, I have made sure that I purchased these only from sustainable sources.

These early projects sparked a strong desire to return to my resourceful Cherokee Indian and farm-raised heritage by committing myself to find new life for old objects and new purpose for what others consider ‘garbage.’ I stopped throwing away the mountains of sawdust accumulating in my wood shop. I stopped giving my wood scraps to my father-in-law to burn in his fireplace. I began recycling and reusing everything, from the autumn leaves on my lawn, to the pieces of my neighbor’s fallen tree, grass clippings in the summer to the grounds from my morning coffee.

After some experimentation, I found I could combine these materials with a bonding agent, a process that is now patent-pending, to create a multitude of artful, functional objects. These include floor tiles, countertops, sinks, inlays for cabinet doors and stair treads, kitchen utensils, and a multitude of other items for the home. All are made with re-envisioned, recycled or natural materials, along with locally harvested hardwoods, and sustainably grown tropical hardwoods.

Most recently I have been using this process to create artistic inlays using materials commonly used as cooking ingredients! Spending my childhood on my grandparents' farm, I became fond of helping my grandmother in the kitchen. I watched her make cake frosting with pound after pound of confectioner's sugar and soups and stews with tarragon and cayenne pepper. Looking back on these memories, I began thinking of the brilliant colors and textures of these substances. I started experimenting again, mixing the sugar, herbs, and spices with the bonding agent to create vibrant inlays of birds, bears, moose, fish, frogs, and plants, for the frames of clocks and mirrors, candle holders and laptop boards.

If someone had told me when I was young that I would grow up to be an artist or that I would spend so much of my time drying my used coffee grounds and brainstorming ways to reuse my annual Christmas tree, I would have said they were crazy. But with each day and each new idea, I embrace this path I have taken, more and more, and am proud of the artistic and earth friendly contributions I am making for my daughter, future generations, and hopefully my local community.

All pieces are made with re-envisioned, recycled or natural materials, along with locally harvested hardwoods, and sustainably grown
tropical hardwoods.