Follow-The-Grain Wood Sculpture
Artist Statement
Growing up in Northern Utah, I had many opportunities to work for my uncle, LaVal S. Morris. He had fruit orchards my brother and I worked in while we went to school. Uncle Val founded the Landscape Architecture degree program at Utah State University. He was also an accomplished wood sculptor. As a kid, I admired the pieces he had displayed around his house.
Cache Valley, Utah
Fast forward several years to 2013 when my cousin, Steve, told me he had a piece of Uncle Val’s wood that he’d give to me if I would agree to refinish the sculpture. The surface of the sculpture was turning a grayish color and just needed to be sanded to remove the old finishing material and put new coats of oil on the wood.
Uncle Val's Sculpture
Well, that little experience and some great coaching from my cousin exposed me to a whole new adventure in wood carving. I have watched many videos online, studied various carving techniques, and tried to teach myself the art and craft of wood carving.
My approach has always been to simply “follow the grain” and reveal what the wood has to offer. The shapes and colors within the wood never cease to amaze me. The texture and feel of the various types of wood is exciting. I believe that Nature is the ultimate artist so all I try to do is expose and perhaps emphasize what is already in the wood. Some people may call this abstract art, but I see it as the most natural type of beauty available to us because I am just a partner with Nature in the creation of any of my sculptures.
Sculpture at the front of the Bankhead house
As crazy as it may sound, I develop a very personal relationship with the pieces of wood I carve. I spend a lot of time looking at the raw wood. We (me and the wood) do a little dance where I look at it from every angle and consider the many options the wood gives me. Then, when we are ready, I begin the process of taking what the wood gives me in terms of shape, line, negative space, coloration, what to eliminate and what to leave in place. It’s a very intimate process that can take months, even years, to arrive at a point where I’m ready to start the process.
