Mark Frank found his career choices interesting, yet somehow unfulfilling until he sought out relief carving. After exploring forests of the Northwest, he was inspired by a rare form of Ponderosa Pine, nick named Millennium. Mark left relief carving behind and began to collect “Krummholz” Ponderosa Pine, known for its twisted and gnarled appearance. Sculpting through ring patterns, he exposes the tree’s thousand year history! The finished sculpture looks naturally formed, however, a closer look will reveal where he has merged artistic composition and the elegant symmetries found in the twisted patterns of wood.
Roger Combs is an original designer and accomplished woodworker. Roger earned a BA degree in Industrial Arts, with a concentration in furniture design and construction from California Polytechnic University. His pieces are distinguished by timeless design, seamless joinery, and fine finishes. The beauty and sophistication of Roger’s furniture is enhanced by his use of natural materials that will always be in style.
Victor DiNovi comes from a family of artists and artisans, musicians and masons, chefs and poets. Exposed to the process of artistic creation as a small child, he feels that the act of creation is as important as the object created!
Over the years, Andy Needles has made wood furniture for family and friends. After being gifted a large amount of black walnut logs from a local rancher in the Adelaide/Paso Robles area, he had them milled and spent the next 10 years building furniture. Using reclaimed woods, Andy branched out to platters and cutting boards, inlaid with semiprecious stones and shells. These functional woodcraft items are treated with a food safe finish and made with a variety of woods, including California Sycamore, Black Locust, and Olive Wood.
As a fisheries scientist by profession, Tom spent 31 years monitoring, conducting and directing salmon and trout research for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He started carving wood shortly after retirement in 2005. Tom became involved in a volunteer effort to carve animals for an antique Dentzel carousel in Albany Oregon. Groups of carvers and painters were working on the task of creating 54 animals for the antique mechanism. Two of his animals are now on display at the Albany Historic Carousel. Drawing on experience as a biologist, Tom began to create stylized wildlife sculptures. He currently works exclusively with a variety of hardwoods carved with power tools. Specializing in carving trout, Tom enjoys carving other fishes, birds and mammals. The more dramatic the wood, the better.