Age twenty, a sculptor was born. It was a sunny morning, and I was gazing upon some eucalyptus trees. In admiration of their beauty, a vision emerged, revealing a future and a connection that felt like reverence of the soul. I suddenly saw myself as a wood sculptor; it was a moment of conception. Four years passed before I actually held chisel in hand.

Working as a sculptor reminds me of the importance of staying connected to the dream space and moving beyond self imposed belief systems. A block of wood mirrors my internal block that I must cut into as to explore and to reveal my true feeling nature. It holds a deep space for me to journey and release what illusions I hold onto. Transmuting what seems to be futile in exchange for a space of self knowing and feeling Earthed!

When I sculpt, connecting with my hands, I feel a presence of the invisible made visible. As my mind flows from that place of knowing, I feel this profound spiritual nature of being. When I’m connected to this spiritual place, there is no fear, or mind chatter, just perception of the eternal moment of now. It helps me to let go of judgements and projections. Discernment is honed and sometimes I find myself compelled to thrust the chisel without any apparent logic, in full trust. This action dispels my mind from trying to control the situation. It activates a spark that flames the work in the right direction. An alchemical cleansing.

Timber and ancestral traditions

Timber is known to be rooted deeply in the human psyche, used for shelter, tools and art. From the revered carpenters of the Japanese Shinto Temple builders, the Norse wood carvers of the Viking ship prows, to the adornment of home and temples in Batak and SE Asian culture, American Indian culture and so on.

David Puustinen