At the age of 19, I began apprenticeship training as a fine woodworker. For three decades I have worked professionally in carpentry, fine furniture making, antique restoration, design, and as a union film set carpenter and decorator.
Here are some examples of recently completed projects.
11” x 11” x 11”
Siberian Elm, natural oil finish
Handmade paper
2023
Inspired by my lasting love of Scandinavian and Japanese design, as well as my childhood fascination with Brutalist architecture growing up in Boston, I made this piece for my personal home to replace an aged Japanese paper lampshade.
Working with a local urban forester in Santa Fe, I acquired trunks of a felled Siberian Elm tree. Considered a water hogging invasive species, this tree was removed from the Santa Fe river water shed. It was also growing dangerously too close to a utility pole. In utilizing the harvested ‘urban wood’ we wanted to demonstrate that its lumber can still be a viable valuable resource that is well suited to crafting lasting and beautiful objects, rather than say meeting its fate in a tree shredder only to become mulch. Moreover, I wanted to design something that took into account the narrower dimensions of the available wood once the trunk was milled. This is the result.
18” h, 16” w, 30” h
Siberian Elm, natural oil finish
2022
Working with a local urban forester in Santa Fe, I acquired trunks of a felled Siberian Elm tree.
Considered a water hogging invasive species, this tree was removed from the Santa Fe river water shed. It was also growing dangerously too close to a utility pole.
In utilizing the harvested ‘urban wood’ we wanted to demonstrate that its lumber can still be a viable valuable resource that is well suited to crafting lasting and beautiful objects, rather than say meeting its fate in a tree shredder only to become mulch.
Moreover, I wanted to design something that took into account the narrower dimensions of the available wood once the trunk was milled.
This is the result.
18” h, 16” w, 30”
Siberian Elm, walnut stain finish
2022
Working with a local urban forester in Santa Fe, I acquired trunks of a felled Siberian Elm tree. Considered a water hogging invasive species, this tree was removed from the Santa Fe river water shed. It was also growing dangerously too close to a utility pole.
In utilizing the harvested ‘urban wood’ we wanted to demonstrate that its lumber can still be a viable valuable resource that is well suited to crafting lasting and beautiful objects, rather than say meeting its fate in a tree shredder only to become mulch. Moreover, I wanted to design something that took into account the narrower dimensions of the available wood once the trunk was milled.
This is the result.
Site Specific commission, New Mexico.
Site Specific commission, New Mexico.
There was a dead pinon pine on the designated location of the tea house. We elected to incorporate the actual dead tree’s wood into the structure. The handle you see here is from that tree!
Site Specific commission, New Mexico.
Framing detail
Site Specific commission, New Mexico.
“Fukinsei” (asymmetrical) shoji design of window.
Fukinsei window captures the vista of the property.
Site specific commission. New Mexico.
Benches. Incorporating lumber from a dead tree that had been in the location in which this tea house was installed.
Custom site specific design. Japanese Zen garden inspired privacy fence. The objective was to increase shade for the garden’s plants and trees, as well as improve privacy. Client was looking for an innovative way to address the challenge without the burden of a predictable augmentation of wall height or layered fencing. We worked with the client and landscape designer through the design process and distilled elements that would work well with existing garden.
Western red cedar, oak, iron, river stones.
Custom site specific design. Japanese Zen garden inspired privacy fence. The objective was to increase shade for the garden’s plants and trees, as well as improve privacy. Client was looking for an innovative way to address the challenge without the burden of a predictable augmentation of wall height or layered fencing. We worked with the client and landscape designer through the design process and distilled elements that would work well with existing garden.
Western red cedar, oak, iron, river stones.
Worked with architectural designer. The challenge was to build a horizontal grain aesthetic door panel, that operates like a Japanese “Shoji” screen that creates privacy and shade from several portals. Slides on a ceiling mounted track.
Pine, Oak, Bioshield natural finishes.
"Transformer Studio", 2018, Interior Office Build Out for Autotroph Architects, Santa Fe. Pump Trolley worked with the firm's principal architect, Alexander Dzurec, and Iron Wood Forge, Santa Fe. Design is winner of 2019 Santa Fe chapter of the American Institute of Architects Interior Architecture Citation Award.
Read more featured story about this project and its award.
"Transformer Studio", 2018, Interior Office Build Out for Autotroph Architects, Santa Fe. Pump Trolley worked with the firm's principal architect, Alexander Dzurec, and Iron Wood Forge, Santa Fe. Design is winner of 2019 Santa Fe chapter of the American Institute of Architects Interior Architecture Citation Award.
Read more featured story about this project and its award.
We worked with the homeowners' landscape designer to design and build these custom gates to replace an old rotted entrance.
Custom built for a Santa Fe home.
Recent artworks.
As a creator and maker, I prefer to think of myself as a contemporary folk artist.
My studio fine arts work draws from my early traditional apprenticeship & on going professional “day job” work in fine woodworking, set construction, folk art, and craft.
I keep returning to folk toys as a means of addressing complex adult themes while exploring craft, color, symbolism and textures. I like to interject notes of humour and pathos. These pieces tell stories that originate from me, but remain incomplete so that they allow the viewer, or perhaps eventual owner, their own room to “play” with them.
…
The covid pandemic and quarantine, as unnerving as it has been, has also been something of a personal blessing. Throughout 2020, have been able to commit myself to much more time in my studio.
These new works invite discussion about current events, but through the language of “folk toys”. These sculptures are rooted in vehicles, “playhouses”, and security blankets quilted from repurposed and reclaimed fabric. Childish things that are themselves stepping out the familiar and comfortable in our adult world.
2020
Digital print, ink, acrylic on sheet music.
5.5" x 11"
Exhibited;
Silver Linings Postcard Project:
A Public Art Project and Fundraiser
Site Santa Fe Museum
Santa Fe NM
2020
SOLD
(Covid Series)
August 2020
Polychromed wood, printed and dyed fabric.
20" x 5" x 5.5" (each helicopter, conjoined triplets)
(display shelf available)
(Covid Series)
August 2020
Polychromed wood
20" x 5" x 5.5"
Sedäan Mäan Hospital Action Play Set
(Covid Series)
2020
Reclaimed hospital scrubs, dye, wood.
23" x 9.5" x 31"
(Optional Angel of Mercy Helicopter sold separately)
(Covid Series)
September 2020
24” x 15” x 8”
Wood, wood stains, dyed and hand carved block printed reclaimed fabric.
(Covid Quarantine Action Playset)
(Covid Series)
2020
Reclaimed fabric, ink, dye & wood
6" x 6" x 23"
Exhibited;
"The Conform Project"
Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts, Government.
Los Lunas, NM
April 2020
(Sedäan Mäan World Series)
Large piece in foreground:
Sedäan Mäan Big Boss
Middle ground;
Kommuter Action Playset
Background;
Kommuter Art und Kunst Power Couple
Action Playset
Exhibited:
Play/Things The Iconography of the Toy
City of Santa Fe Community Gallery.
Santa Fe, NM
March - October 2020
(Sedäan Mäan World Series)
Detail from; Kommuter Action Playset
Sedäan Mäan Series
Detail
(Sedäan Mäan World Series)
Detail from; Kommuter Action Playset
(Sedäan Mäan's Dream)
2017
Polychromed wood (Reclaimed OSB)
15" x 10" x 1.5"
Exhibited;
"Teeny Tiny Solo Show".
Holiday Exhibit of Art Toys.
Santa Fe Public Library, Santa Fe, NM
December 2017
2017
Fabric, dye, wood.
22.5" x 10" x 38"
Exhibited;
Arte de Descartes XVII
Stables Gallery
Taos Center for the Arts, Taos NM
2017
Acrylic & Ink on Paper
(on wood)
8 1/2" x 11"
Exhibited;
Pushing the Boundaries: Water and Color in New Mexico
Historic Santa Fe Foundation
September 1 -29, 2017
El Zaguin Gallery
Santa Fe, NM.
2017
Fabric, dye, wood.
22.5" x 10" x 38"
Exhibited;
Arte de Descartes XVII
Stables Gallery
Taos Center for the Arts, Taos NM
2017
2020
Juniper and plum wood
(From tree trimmings at
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi)
9.5” x 5” x 2.5”
I began making toys as a kid. I still have some puppets I made in junior high. I never stopped making toys really. In my late teens, I became extremely interested in international folk toys and historic American toys. I researched and produced replicas as well as developed my own adaptations and updates of traditional folk toys. I am now more interested in making toys as limited edition "art play things". Much like a printmaker might only produce a limited edition of prints. Here are a few that I have produced in the last few years.
In recent years, I have found myself melding and integrating my interests in folk toys and “play” with studio fine art.
Northern Leopard Frog Toy (Lithobates pipiens)
I was honored to have been selected to be included in The Santa Fe Arts Commission’s Community Gallery’s Inaugural Community Supported Artist Program.
I thought this to be an opportune time to launch a new art toy series focusing on endangered animals in New Mexico.
The first limited edition art toy of Pump Trolley’s endangered species series begins with an animal native to Santa Fe.
The Northern Leopard Frog requires permanent oxygenated water that is abundant with plant and animal life. This habitat has been in steady decline over the last few decades, especially in New Mexico. The Northern Leopard Frog is also threatened by the deadly chytrid fungus and non-native bullfrogs. There have been significant efforts in New Mexico since 2012 to re-establish the Northern Leopard Frog. Locally, they can be found at the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve.
Frog Toys and CSA shares can be purchased through the gallery.