Cedar Bowl D

Cedar bowl hand-carved by certified Arborist Michael Yates. Size is approx. 6" long by 5" wide by 3" tall.

Artist's statement: "I began hand carving wood with just a hammer and chisel with wood that I would find appealing at work. The wood was usually from a tree that I had pruned or helped remove. The process of using a hammer and chisel helped to keep my mind focused and less anxious.

I was drawn especially to cedar and other twisty wood that would never conform to a uniform look. It was the beauty of the knotholes and flow of the grain that I wanted to reveal. The Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi, or finding the beauty of imperfection helped to give words to what I was drawn to.

I never wanted to sell my carvings, but I loved giving them away. I would try to listen to the wood during the carving process and let it lead me to who was supposed to get it. Because I listen to music while carving, several of my bowls went to musicians. It felt right to share my art in appreciation for their art.

A lot of these musicians happened to be trans or gender queer. I didn't exactly understand what they had experienced. But I did know that I was working with wood that was once a tree and is now a bowl, but it will always be wood. I firmly believe that what I carve is the form the wood was always intended to look like. Trying to explain this to musicians half my age wasn't easy because I wasn't sure how they would react to my attempt to put into words my understanding of their gender. Especially as a cis passing individual. Thankfully my love outshined my clumsy words.

My carving is inspired by these individuals who do not conform to the societal concepts of gender. What transphobes think are flaws are actually some of their beauty. And they were always meant to look on the outside like they feel on the inside. My carvings are just a crude metaphor for their beauty."