"Carving comes naturally to anyone who enjoys working with their eyes, heart and hands. It requires a certain degree of faith. The carver must trust that there is indeed a form within. Only with dedication can it be coaxed out from the raw stone or wood.

The subtractive process is one that forces you to focus. The "less is more" maxim is one a carver must come to understand.

In my approach to carving, the carver is simply being asked to reveal what is already there. You have to become one with the piece, peering through it to find the correct intersection of planes, balanced by movement and expression.

Mistakes are made, flaws are found; but often, as in life. they serve a purpose. Difficulties offer the opportunity for an individual to build one's character. Likewise, the problems that arise in carving add character to the piece. In fact, I often find these flaws or mistakes force me to try something new or resolve the piece in a way I would never have thought of otherwise."