I met an amazing artist, Tom Gow, at the Moses Cone Estate last weekend.

He was out on the front porch demonstrating his craft.

I wish I had had the time to watch him work. He studies the shape of the wood and lets it guide him on what form it should become.

Tom makes whimsical pieces of art out of various types of wood and from the bark of dead Canadian Cottonwood trees.

He had been carving for about ten years, when he saw an article in a carving magazine about bark carving. He took a class from the artist in that article. His love of the bark carving shows through in these magical pieces.

My favorite is the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe.  This is Tom’s favorite, also.

I also thought Rapunzel’s Tower was wonderful.

The tiny, crooked details in each piece make it special and unique.

Tom is a member of the Southern Highland Artist Guild.

His contact through them is http://southernhighlandguild.org/tombarkcarving.

FLOWER on the Move.