My artwork stems from a deep love for the natural world. I remember my parents taking me to our family’s property on Davidson Creek in Caldwell, Texas. My brother and I would always explore the woods next to the creek. There was always something new to be found, and for a kid, the creek seemed a magical place.  I can remember my excitement at finding a newly fallen tree or watching the deer run by in the meadow. In springtime, the grass became a forest of its own, and the creek was ever-changing. There was a deep sense of peace there as well. All that could be heard were birds and the sounds of flowing water. Walking along the creek never grew old for me. Instead, my fascination with nature grew as I did. When I was old enough, my dad began teaching me woodworking. There is a simple joy to be found in working with one’s hands, and I wanted to learn whatever anyone was willing to teach me. The skills I learned opened the door for my first job at a fabrication company, and soon I became a welder. Something was missing, however. Steel felt too cold and dark to me, and I missed the warm, living quality of wood.

In 2015, I was able to work in New Mexico over the summer. I was a Program Counselor for Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, and it was everything I could have wished for. I lived in a cabin surrounded by nature, I taught out in nature, and my time off was spent in nature.  The closest civilization was about a twenty-mile hike away, so I did not have to go very far to be alone. Occasionally I would visit Taos and Santa Fe. The culture there still had a close connection to nature which greatly influenced their art and mine as well. I was able to return the following summers. Living out in nature and relying on natural materials to improve the camp gave me an even greater appreciation for simple tools and materials. The effects of my experiences manifest themselves in my work. Working with natural materials also allows me to reconnect with these experiences.