Little did I know that when my grandfather took me on frequent walks to look for “lightwood,” which is highly resinous pine used for kindling fires, it would lead to a unique art form and a personal passion of mine 60 years later. These partially buried and decaying fragments of pine trees are carefully chosen and examined to determine their suitability for sculpture. Once selected, the process of turning them into unique pieces of art is meticulous and challenging, requiring multiple steps involving hand carving tools, steel wool and several coats of wax to reveal their hidden natural beauty. Bringing these decayed pine resin fragments to life is like a spiritual awakening that’s been gifted to me by Mother Nature.