The scent of the wood and texture of the grain take me back to the chicken coop on my grandparents farm, re-purposed to house the woodworking shop my grandfather used in his retirement from farming. I loved to push open the door and take in the bouquet of aromas rushing to escape, and finding scrap pieces of wood to feel their character. For a long time, I considered myself only as a spectator of woodworking. That all changed in 2017.

​After sniffing all of the scent out of the honey dipper sticks my son brought home from his school's woodworking class, it finally dawned on me - why not me!  My life experiences held me back from diving into the deep end right off the bat, and instead led me to pilot my interest in a local woodworking class. The project: building a band box. And it had me at hello.

My favorite part of the entire creative process is the moment the oil meets the wood, amplifying the color, the grain, the character of the wood. The oil brings to life every line, every knot, every part of its color spectrum. This moment happens only once with every piece, and it is extraordinary!

Woodworking has awakened the artist in me. And I want to share my art with you.