I worked landscape jobs to pay for classes in the Natural Science Illustration program I had enrolled in. It was on one of those jobs as I was about to put a log through the wood chipper, I became infuriated by the thought of reducing a beautiful tree to worthless chip. It felt like such a waste!  That specific tree, in fact, was cut down to allow sunlight for solar panels.  I couldn’t bear it, “I MUST SAVE THIS WOOD!” was my thought, as I pulled the log out of the way of the shoot. There was no explanation for why I did what I did… I just knew I had to do it!  

    The arborist I worked for, bought a mill.  He asked if he could try it out on the wood I had been saving. By this time, there was a big pile of wood waiting for a moment such as this; so, I agreed.  When the wood  was milled the beauty hidden beneath the bark was revealed.  I was amazed that something discarded, meant to be destroyed, could hold such artistry and unlimited potential. I envisioned scenes of nature perfectly matched with the grain. It was though the tree was guiding me toward some mystical purpose.  It was as if the tree chose me to tell a story that only I could tell.  I wanted the art to create needed to emerge from the wood; I didn’t want to cover up the natural beauty of the grain.  I discovered wood burning, AKA, pyrography, was the best choice to achieve my artistic goals.  I had never considered this method before and had no prior experience, but with a lot of practice, watching YouTube videos, swearing, burnt fingers, and singed hair, the wood burning tool became an instrument of a Phoenix.  It enabling me to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary with fire.  I too was transformed. I found the ideal medium and voice; it was the voice of nature.

   The wood I saved for my art has come from landscape jobs I worked in Concord.  After work I took many dips in Walden Pond to cool down from the summer heat. I did this for years, but never ventured beyond the pond. However, one time I decided to go into the bookstore. I thumbed through some books written by Henry David Thoreau. Before this, I was not fully acquainted with Thoreau’s work, but at that that moment, I got a sense we were destined to meet.  I felt a connection with him through the spirit of nature. It was nature that brought me to Concord, it was what motivated me to create art using its wood, and it was what brought me to Walden Pond. I noticed the art on display in the gallery next door. It was though my artistic journey had led to this exact time and place and I knew this was where I needed to exhibit my art. I proposed the idea of using discarded wood from Walden Pond to create a collection of art that depicting my encounters with nature.  It made perfect sense and the people at Walden Pond agreed. I am honored to present my exhibit, “As Deliberate as Nature”, a collection of pyrography art, a collaboration between an artist, nature, some trees, and the writings of Henry David Thoreau, narrating a journey into the woods and a voyage into the self.