Insights into the mind of David Bardwick
Looking closely at each of these carvings, the interplay between the wood grain and the texture creates a sense of wonder and appreciation. The materials used and the human skill and insight which goes into making these carvings utterly transforms them into unique works of art. The inspiration for these new creations comes from diverse sources such as nature, Asian art, and my internal fantasy world.
Erosion is perhaps nature’s most breathtakingly beautiful phenomenon. On a grand scale it has given me my favorite haunts, the canyons and sculpted rocks of Zion, the cliffs and hoodoos of Bryce, the vast landscape and intimate corners of Grand Staircase, Escalante, and the unfathomable Grand Canyon. Only wind and water have been at work there. Not one year in the past thirty years has passed without my taking at least one soul-reviving visit to these monumental testaments to forces beyond imagination which were created over periods of time that I cannot begin to comprehend. I am brought to my knees with awe and joy in the presence of such majesty. I am reminded of my true, minuscule importance. I need and welcome that reminder. Continue reading Erosion, Nature’s Impact on Man’s Creations
Some of the most beautiful village implements are those used in the courtyard of a family compound for grinding of corn, soybeans, or pounding of rice. The spiral teak gears of Thailand and ironwood notched gears of Indonesia are poetry in action and sculpture at rest. They gain beauty from use and wear, and eventually from disuse, as the elements of nature start to wear away their features. Continue reading Food Preparation – Tools in the Courtyard
I find myself more and more attracted to folk instruments of Asia and the “Islands,” especially the drums. As a kid (and this hasn’t changed much) I couldn’t dance because I couldn’t hear the beat of the music. Imagine doing the waltz or cha-cha “rhythm-deaf.” Anyway, drums had never been my thing, but all that’s changed now. Continue reading Tribal and Village Drums
If they say, “Just 5 minutes,” don’t believe it for a second. From Bali to Bhutan, there is no such thing as “just 5 minutes.” There is no place that’s a 5 minutes drive. There are no 5 minutes stops, no 5 minute walks, nor 5 minute errands. There are no 5 minute friends, snacks, or temples. No one will ever “be there,” “be back,” or “return your call” in 5 minutes. We will never leave here, get there, or stay there 5 minutes. There are no 5 minute banks, government offices, ceremonies, or shaves, no 5 minute check-ins, checkouts, showers, or shoe repairs. Continue reading “Just 5 Minutes”
I believe in beauty. I believe we hunger for beauty and its effects on our hearts, minds, and souls. Any and every moment that we are touched by beauty we are refreshed, enlivened, and made whole. Whether we find beauty in nature, art, music, dance, literature, or architecture, beauty leaves us inspired, soothed and more able to be that person we want to be in the world. Continue reading I Believe in Beauty
I often like to hunt alone. Sometimes I like not having to be concerned with anyone else’s comfort, needs, opinions or well-being. It gives me time to think and process what’s happened or could happen. It’s also easier to enter “the zone.” Then again, the right person can be a gift. When I’m hunting, my whole world is about hunting. If I’m with other good hunters, then all’s well. I don’t know and don’t care if I’m a good traveling companion or not, if I’m a hunter among good hunters. It doesn’t matter if we find a piece of art Deco furniture or a primitive statue, a stone table top or a tribal necklace. Chills and goose bumps do occur. It surprises me how seldom chills are mentioned and how often they are a shared phenomenon. Continue reading Chills and Goosebumps May Occur
This afternoon I literally stumbled on to something, one of those flashes of truth that are instructive in the in-the-moment micro world and point to a larger truth, question, or at least a lesson.
We were on our second day of X-country skiing in the mountains outside Glacier National Park. We ski a couple hours a day for a week once a year. It’s enough to enjoy it, but not enough to get much better at the sport. I was facing my first big downhill this season on a groomed trail and I knew somewhere I would fall. You see, I never learned to stop. Without that trick up your sleeve, any steep downhill brings out a sweat like no uphill climb ever can. Continue reading A Cross-Country Chicken
“The Bear Went Over the Mountain”
Did you ever hear this nursery song? It is sung to the tune, “For he’s a jolly good fellow.” Try it!
The bear went over the mountain
The bear went over the mountain
The bear went over the mountain Continue reading The Bear Went Over the Mountain
With every collector, every artist, every hunter, every family compound with something valuable to sell, I am to some degree faced with a conflict. The conflict revolves around paying attention to people vs. things. Because my work seems, on the surface, to be about buying “cool things,” I am usually a bit impatient to look at the pieces that are offered. This isn’t because it is my job; it’s my job because hopelessly, joyfully, I’m so drawn to the quest for beautiful objects. I hunger for beauty: finding it, enjoying it, being altered by it, and sharing it. Continue reading People vs. Things