I am a self-taught artist. I search the woodlands, ponds and rivers of western Massachusetts for materials, often selecting wood discarded by beaver. I am also a junk collector. My basement is filled with found wood and found objects. Sometimes concepts emerge by combining found objects. Other times I use concepts and sketches from my daily journals in which I record my activities, experiences, books I’ve read, what I eat, the weather, my thoughts and hundreds of sketches. I start with a wood structure to which I add miles of string, found or handmade objects and acrylic paint. I view each work as a challenge to convert a concept into a sculpture to which people can relate.