I've always been fascinated with the grain patterns in wood and love the material because it’s versatile, durable and soulful - so this is the medium I've always gravitated to.  My journey working with wood has taken a scenic route, trying many ways to shape and repurpose wood, but ultimately found that carving is my preferred method.  I have an equal affinity for home cooking, so the first thing I looked to carve was a wooden spoon.  Over a few years, my woodcarving grew into other cooking utensils, bowls, cutting boards, small tables and stools.

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As much as I love making functional wooden objects, I was eager to do something larger and with a different expression.  I recently found inspiration in my Polish heritage - not only in cooking, but in the folk art and designs.  Wycinanki (paper cutting/layering) and Pysanky (beeswax designs on dyed eggs) are two vibrant art forms that resonated immediately because I saw my grandmother doing this when I was young.  Using the traditional folk art as inspiration, I decided to take my own approach by carving these designs out of wood and at a much larger scale.  Wood tones are beautiful, but they are muted and subtle.  I wanted to get those bright colors used in wycinanki into these pieces, so I began experimenting with acrylic and spray paint to amplify the subject, while retaining the texture of the wood carving.