About Me
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My name is David Miner, I founded Wood Chips Studio as a place to share my art inspired by the world around me.
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A little background to who I am ... I am 74 years old and have been doing art all my life. Although it has only been a source of income for small periods of my working life it’s always been there. I worked at an art foundry for several years as a caster, tool maker, and in product development, research and development. I’ve taken college courses in art and business and done CAD design for my own construction business for several years. I’m a third generation carpenter and have what feels like a natural ability in the workshop with power tools.
A love of family, farming, history all come together in my shop as I work, or some would say I play at what is my retirement after a life time of doing so many vocations.
My inspiration to carve and design in wood.
The world and my small place I live in is in my art. From nature to the books I read and listen to. As I farm nature surrounds me.
My wife runs a nature preschool on our property. Our property is alive with sounds and sights full of energy and inspiration such as butterflies and flowers, children at play and discovery.
When I carve I listen to books on history (mostly American) and mythical or spiritual. My family heritage is also part of my carving, ancestry links me to mining back generations and include stone work and of course wood working. My wife’s family is rich in naval history so that gives me cause to explore that and my children and grandchildren inspire me with their interest in sports of all kinds. There is a story to every carving even if commissioned the story of that commission is what makes the inspiration.
My carving technique is my own, I’ve borrowed ideas from carvers on line and adapted them to my needs and style. One of those comes from Lynn O doughty a western carver with a similar style, he uses a box cutter knife that I adopted and modified to my liking. I carve my major pieces in several parts and sometimes find heads and bodes that work together as I work.