During a road trip along the coast of the Pacific Northwest, my partner and I stopped by the Salishan Lodge in Gleneden Beach, Oregon to see the inspiring work of Leroy Setziol. His hand carved wall panels and doors, made mostly from local walnut, decorated the rambling common areas of the historic lodge. They were at once rough hewn and finely detailed, echoing the natural features of the Northwest; grand, sweeping forests punctuated by delicate lakes and streams and evergreens.

I returned from the voyage full of inspiration, determined to try my hand at carving my favorite species, black walnut. Armed with a single gouge and a mallet, I went to work and sketched out a poem in the tobacco colored grain. I found the process so enjoyable that I’ve hardly been able to stop myself; no piece of scrap is safe from the sharped edge of my gouge. The beauty of it is just that; these panels are all made from offcuts that would otherwise end up bound for the campfire.

24”W x 36”L