I’m an artist living in Central Virginia near the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park
Most days begin on a trail with my dogs and end in the studio with wood, fire, and sketchbooks.
Somewhere between the quiet of the woods and the rhythm of the burn pen, ideas begin to take shape.
Nature has always been my greatest source of inspiration. Not just the big landscapes, but the small details most people walk past, like the texture of bark, the pattern of moss, the way light moves through the trees. Those quiet moments often become the starting point for my work.
Whether I’m creating woodburned art, designing surface patterns, or sketching ideas for something new, the process usually begins with observation.
Nature first. Creation second.
The Work
Smoky Wood Studios
Woodburning Art
Illustrative wood-burning inspired by forest myth, night skies, and quiet stories.
Spore & Sigil
Surface Design
Hand-drawn designs created to become part of something larger.
Pyrography Academy
Learn the Art of Woodburning
Build real wood-burning skills through simple weekly practice you actually finish.
Life Outside the Studio
Many of my ideas begin outside.
I spend time hiking the trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains with my dogs, noticing small details in the landscape and collecting inspiration along the way.
These walks are often where ideas first appear, sometimes as a texture, sometimes as a pattern, sometimes as the beginning of a new piece of art.
I document many of these outdoor moments through Ridge Raven, a trail journal where I share hikes, nature observations, and the landscapes that inspire my work.
A Creative Life
Being an artist isn’t just about finished pieces.
It’s about paying attention to the world around you. It’s about curiosity, observation, and the slow process of turning ideas into something tangible.
For me, creativity lives somewhere between the trail and the studio.
And most days, that’s exactly where you’ll find me.
If you’d like to follow along with the creative process, you can explore my Field Notes, where I share reflections from the trail, the studio, and the moments in between.