
I prefer to work with repurposed materials—lately scavenged pieces of lumber. I love the texture, but it is also the process and narrative that attracts me.
The old dirty piece of scrap cast-off that was destined for the chipper is rescued, cleaned up, sanded, primed, painted and/or assembled, and glossed to a shiny semi-precious object (depending on the bent of the cherish-er). Maybe it’s an ongoing metaphor for our ability to hit rock bottom and still know to seek amongst the darkest ashes for the glow that will reignite our own spark of Self-seeing.
It’s true–the soul finds more traction for planting the holy on the bumped up, bruised, gritty and reclaimed, rather than on the slicked over and gleamy new.