There is a certain rawness to the Zion carvings we make in “The Studio”. While this work has a strong lyrical quality, its beauty is expressed through a gritty honesty, not prettiness. From the chisel marks that show, you can almost feel the coarseness of the rock. This character reminds me both of the wood we used to carve the pieces and the rough textures of nature.
I have tried in my fifty or so trips to Southern Utah to capture this landscape through photography by taking from 50-1000 shots per trip. Never have I been able to touch the sacred beauty of Zion on film, but somehow, I can’t give up trying. Though seemingly impossible, I none-the-less have had to try again to capture Zion by carving its likeness in wood.
Amazingly, these carvings do capture the spirit of Zion, bringing back the beauty and awe of those canyons. Where my photographs have failed, these carving inspire and give me life. They remind me to return again to the places I most love.
