Jay McDougall, McDougall Studios

All of my pieces are free hand carved from one solid piece of wood. I work alone through the entire process, beginning with patiently selecting logs from fallen hardwood trees in the region surrounding my studio in rural Minnesota through hand buffing the final coat of wax. To be successful my work must connect with its audience at a visceral level, it should make one feel good, or calm, or peaceful. This is achieved in many subtle ways. My triptychs flow into one another by sharing profiles on adjacent edges; the organic patina I’ve developed for the wall sculpture’s steel backs complements the natural warmth of the wood; likewise the dyed underside of my vessels and trays create contrast and reinforce the rhythm of the shape; the hand-wrought staples in my element series introduce a human touch to a natural form. The whole is greater than its parts. I carve the wood while is still green/wet with no glue-ups, joinery or lathe work.