Beginnings -
Industrial/Rustic: Original designed, live edge & wood based furnishings; integrating art & function "simply for living simply."
I started collecting discarded & broken wood furniture in 2011. The image above encapsulated the spirit of my works at that time: The yellow deacons table of disparate pieces & found wood; found wood benches, hand sprayed stenciling; and a window seat totally re-visioned from a TV table. The back and arms were rescued from a late 19th c babies cradle. (See the transformation of this piece on the "Archives" page.)
Like all of my re-furnishing they are not only functional gems, but one-of-a-kind, uncommon works of art.
As my vision for rescuing roadside items started to expand, I began "seeing" different components working together to create something like this unconventional night stand. After sanding and multiple layers of spray paint, the work just "needed" a over-sized top. A reclaimed table top made it.
This process start to finish is also in the "Archives" page.
Regardless of what I initially "see" for a finished work, I was constantly amazed of what the work really wanted to become!
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Unique - unconventional - original design
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Next Story
The fall of 2019 was a turning point for me in my work with found objects & wood designs.
I acquired quite a stack of centuries-old barn wood and live edged planks. As a result, my work moved toward creating one-of-a-kind benches & wood-base furnishings.
These images are only a small display of my ongoing works at that time.
Live edge side table with natural branches
The 2022-23 collection
" "Zen" Garden bench with non-toxic,
water resistant finish
- From Raw Planks to Functional Works of Art -
I used a large variety of live edged planks & barn wood most of which are dated from the early 19th century and found on reconstruction sites.
The quality of the wood was unsurpassed. Each plank "spoke"of its history and I felt it was very important to create a finished work which
honored that history.
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Yet another turning point came in 2024
As with all of my visual artworks, I am led on The Path to create what I sense The Spirit of Creation is calling me into next.
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Since the Spring of 2024, the amazing, functional benches and tables were transformed into garden and tabletop incense altars. Like all of my wood works, I use live edge planks with the addition of stones that I found on the Hudson River's strand and on nearby Ohayo Mountain in Woodstock, NY.
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Below is a small collection of the most recent altars, all unique, "Hand Created, Spirit Infused" which I have sold at my open air market "Forest & Path" and (coming soon) in a shop in Woodstock.
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"Separate Peace Incense Altars for Garden & Home" are readily available. However, the altars that are depicted are samples of what you can expect when you special order your altar.
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Contact on: turtletotempathways@gmail.com
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Describe your vision for your altar (table top or garden) and the approximate size or garden area.
Your altar will be created with available stone & wood.
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Please add your contact info
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I will return your email with the price of the altar which will include shipping the New York State. Or, you may pick up your altar - we can make arrangements for pick up.
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Double Altar: Live edged & found wood, Hudson River stones, vintage Pacific Islander
cloth with found, glass votive candle holder.
Hudson River Stones with vintage, Pacific Islander cloth, hand-fashioned cone incense holder.
A selection of table top incense
and memorial altars
Stone, wood base, drift wood and
feathers. All altars will come with an individually made, hand painted clay incense bowl.
Table-top Memorial altar: found birch wood base, Hudson River Stones
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