Origin Story
50 years ago while in my Family medicine Residency I wanted to make a gift to honor my four brothers. I wrote a verse about each of their individual personalities and what made them special. Since we had spent much time growing up climbing trees, I was familiar with them. So I decided to depict each brother with a tree that represented him.
The Process
I had no training in art, but I knew a lot about biology, metallurgy, chemistry, geology, trees, and people. I love to tell stories, and those stories had to be real and believable. So, I created a process using my knowledge of science and metals to recreate the microanatomy, as well as the gross anatomy of a tree. Copper wire became the xylem and phloem fibers. Tin was the lignin. Rocks became landscapes on which to tell the story
Evolution and refinement
More people and more stories of lives were portrayed. So, I strove to make them even more realistic and dramatic in depicting these real characters. I experimented and devised new metal alloys with a wide eutectic point. At this temperature I could apply a bark, and while still hot and malleable, work it like clay to create textures, and show history, and healing.
Using my periodic table of the elements, I experimented, and developed patinas and resin effects. I found new ways to use mica chips and gold leaf with static voltage application so that my trees became more alive and could quiver in the breeze. With diamond tools I could reshape the stone to allow for dramatic expression in the tree’s life
Career development
It was a hobby that I loved and worked on almost daily. With my trees I found that I could motivate people, and honor them with themes of hope, acceptance, love, and reconciliation. I could let them dream and be happy with themselves. I frequently saw tears in their eyes. It felt like God was using my work to help others, and that is a blessing to me. 25 years ago, I left behind a busy Family Practice and plunged forward with my trees as a full-time endeavor. I felt successful as a tree maker and storyteller, and I was happy with that.
Career epiphany
Then came a surprise call from Sunshine Artist Magazine. This national art periodical wanted to put me on the cover and do a centerfold article on my work. I thought they had the wrong guy, I didn’t think of myself as an artist., and never had an art class in my life. They persisted and wrote a great article. My wife, Susan told me the same thing,” You are an artist!” She told me to always strive for excellence and go to the best art shows in the country. I followed her advice and have won a score of major national art awards in the past 14 years. I still have some trouble accepting it, but I am an artist. I feel joy that I can live my passion, tell my stories, and make a difference in the lives of others.
And Susan likes me