Retired Carpentry/Woodworking Teacher of 33 years and woodworker for over 54 years. I am a graduate of St. Mary’s College with various post graduate work at California and Maryland universities. My love of the Chesapeake Bay and woodworking seems to have come together with other skills I have developed over time bringing me to this new adventure. I believe my driftwood assemblages are a convergence of my life experiences and skills.
Design and Construction/Artistic Goal
My personal vision is, Art should be an equal alliance of creativity and craftsmanship. Sculptures attempt to create figures, both mythical and natural by using select pieces of driftwood that not only suggest anatomical features but also highlight the unique beauty of the wood. I strive to give life and personality to my work. Many pieces are inspired by a specific creation of the wood I find, while other sculptures are created with a specific subject in mind. I will spend many hours walking the local beaches, collecting interesting pieces of driftwood that will interlock with other pieces to create figures. Once fitted, wood will be screwed into place then shaped and sanded. Very little alteration is employed to maintain the original beauty and texture. Works will be thoroughly power washed before applying at least four coats of a water-based clear wood preservative. Sculptures that are displayed outdoors in the elements are also pretreated with an environmentally friendly anti-fungal insecticide.
My work has recently been selected as a top ten finalist in the Eco Art Challenge for being created from repurposed materials. Another of my works has been chosen as one of 10 sculptures to be displayed in Winter Haven Florida for the Polk museum’s Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition. Several of my sculptures were purchased by the town of North Beach MD for display in the Sunrise Garden Park.
Experience
42+ years- woodworking and cabinetmaking
6 years- theatrical design and construction
33+ years – industrial arts and carpentry teacher
lives and works on shores of the Chesapeake Bay
Education
BA in Art- St. Mary’s College
University of Maryland
Chico State University
Northern VA Community College
Exhibitions
2019
- April 28: Art on the Square. Williamsburg VA
- May 11-12: Crozet Art Festival. Crozet VA
- May 18: Kent Island Days. Stevensville MD
- June 1-2: Arts in the Middle. Urbanna VA
- June 22-23: Sea Glass Festival. Lewes DE
- August 10-11: Spotsy Art Festival. Spotsylvannia VA
- September 21-22: Annmarie Gardens Artfest. Solomon’s Island. MD
- September 27-29: Neptune Festival. Va. Beach. VA
- October 12-13: Bethesda Row. Bethesda MD
- November 8-10: Waterfowl Festival. Easton MD
2017
- January 30-April 29: The Sculpture Space, Washington, D.C.
- May 13-14: Bethesda Art Show, Bethesda MD
- May 20-21: Stockley Gardens Art Festival, Norfolk VA
- June 3-4: Arts in the Middle, Urbanna VA
- June 24-25: Arts Alive, Ocean City, MD
- July 13-14: Central PA Festival of the Arts, State College, PA
- August 5-6: Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth, DE
- August 26-27: Lewes Fine Arts Show, Lewes, DE
- September 16-17: Artfest, Dowell, MD
- October 25-November 19: Exhibition Show at Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, MD
2016
- May 14-15: Bethesda Art Show, Bethesda MD
- May 20-22: Oxford Fine Arts Show, Oxford MD
- June 4-5: Arts in the Middle, Urbana VA
- June 16-19: Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach VA
- June 25 -26: Ocean City Arts Alive
2015
- February: “Invitational”, North End Gallery, Leonardtown, MD
- February: “White on White”, Calvart Gallery, Prince Frederick. MD
- March: “The Animal World”, Peninsula Gallery, Lewes, DE
- April 26: Art on the Square, Williamsburg VA
- May 8 to 19: Bethesda Art Show, Bethesda MD
- May 30 & 31: Arts in the Middle, Urbana VA
- June 9 & 10: Oxford Fine Arts Show, Oxford MD
- June 18 to 21: Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach VA
- November 7 & 8: Unique Boutique Art Show, Hollywood MD
2014
- March 2014 to Jan 2015: Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition Winter Haven
- March 2014: Peninsula Gallery, Lewes, DE
- April 27, 2014: Art on the Square, Williamsburg, VA
- May 2 – 4, 2014: Bodacious Bazaar Fort Monroe, Hampton Roads VA
- May 10, 2014: All Saints Church Arts and Crafts Show, Sunderland, MD
- May 16 – 18, 2014: Oxford Fine Arts Fair, Oxford, MD
- June 7 – 29, 2014: ARTcade, Flag Ponds State Park, MD
- June 12-15, 2014: VA Museum of Contemporary: Art Beach Boardwalk Show, Virginia Beach, VA
- June 28-29, 2014: Mid-Atlantic Sea glass & Coastal Arts Festival, Lewes, DE
2013
- May 19 – 20, 2013: St. Mary’s State House, St. Mary’s City MD
- June 1 – 2, 2013: Frederick Festival of the Arts, Frederick MD
- June 8 – 9, 2013: Annapolis Art, Craft and Wine Festival, Annapolis, MD
- June 14 – 16, 2013: Columbia Festival of Arts, Columbia MD
- August 1 – 31, 2013: Chesapeake Beach Library, Chesapeake Beach MD
- September 21 – 21, 2013: Annmarie Gardens Artfest, Solomons MD
- October 5, 2013: Bay Harvestfest Arts Festival, North Beach, MD
- October 15 through November 15, 2013: Chesapeake Beach Town Hall, Chesapeake Beach, MD
Awards and Acknowledgements
- 1st place Sculpture Bethesda Row 2022
- Best in Sculpture Category Fall Festival Waynesboro VA 2022
- Best in Show. Artfest Annmarie Gardens 2019
- Best in Sculpture Category. Bethesda Row 2019
- Best in Show – Irvington Art Festival 2019
- Award of Excellence – Spotsy Art Festival 2019
- Best 3D in Show — Arts in the Middle, Urbanna VA. 2019
- Best in Show & Presidents Award — Crozet Art Festival, Crozet VA. 2019
- Best in Show — Sunrise Garden Art Show, North Beach MD
- Best in Show — Spotsy Art Festival, Spotsylvania VA.
- Best in Show — Art Under the Oaks, Corolla NC 2018
- 2nd Place — Arts in the Middle, Urbana VA 2017
- Judges Award — Arts Alive, Ocean City, MD 2016
- Best in Show — Neptune Festival, Virgina Beach, VA 2015
- 2nd Place — Artscape 2014, Flag Pond State Park, MD 2014
- Sand Dollar Award — Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach, VA 2014
- 2nd place Sunshine Arts Festival North Beach
- Eco Arts Award 2012
Articles
- “A Renaissance Man at Work” Published in “Southern Maryland This is Living” magazine
- “Driftwood Menagerie” Published in “Chesapeake Bay Magazine”
- “Local artist Larry Ringgold” Published in “The Metropolitan Magazine”
Galleries
Zenith Gallery, Washington DC
Wheel Clothing, North Beach, MD
Peninsula Gallery, Lewes, DE
Carmen’s Gallery, Solomons Island, MD
Richard Stravitz Gallery, Virginia Beach VA
Simply Dragonfly Gallery, St. Michaels, MD
