Dragonfly Carvings

The inspiration for my dragonfly carvings came while collecting driftwood and observing Dragonflies during an early morning beach walk on Edisto Island, SC. It was a peaceful serene moment that I set out to commemorate artistically.

I carve each dragonfly body from wood dowel sticks.  They are meticulously carved, sanded, stained and painted to mimic a particular species. I design the corresponding wings by hand and then scan them to my computer where I add color and print them on transparency sheets. After cutting out the wings, I add several thin layers of various plastic medium to create a membrane-effect. The wings are then affixed to the dragonfly bodies and each dragonfly is mounted on a piece of Edisto Island driftwood.  Each dragonfly takes about two months to complete. I usually work on several at a time, each at varying stages of the process.

I hope that when folks view my dragonflies it will engage their imagination and they will feel the same sense of serenity I experienced while watching dragonflies on Edisto Island…a sense of harmony over discord and a belief that the beauty of nature is a force that connects us all.