About the artist
"All of my mirror frames are created from local Maine woods. Wood cast aside by sawyers, mother nature, and even the ocean. These woods have imperfections, knot holes, insect damage, weathering, and above all, character. All of which add beauty, interest, and uniqueness. Unwanted, they are gathered from where they have gone to rest. Recently for example, my Montville neighbor offered me two dead walnut trees still standing. I felled them, and with the help of a friend took them to a local sawyer. They yielded several wonderful boards now drying in my shop waiting for the moisture content to drop so they may begin a new life as perhaps a mirror, a bench or table. The wood always tells me what it should become - eventually. Whether ash, maple, beech, cherry, walnut or oak, it is treated with the respect it deserves with attention to detail and quality, rather than hurried. They are finished with sunflower oil and bees wax to a patina appropriate for that particular piece. Unlike “clear” store-bought wood, each and every piece is as unique and special as the wood itself with a story to share".
Doug's Philosophy: My work draws inspiration from the natural beauty of aging and imperfection, a concept deeply rooted in the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi. This aesthetic, which values simplicity, authenticity, and the passage of time, has emerged organically in my creations. The mirror frames I craft from various woods often highlight the marks of distress, weathering, and age—features that tell a story of resilience and transformation. As I reflect on my more recent pieces, it has become clear that this philosophy, though unintentional at first, now deeply informs my approach. Each frame embodies the idea that beauty can be found in the imperfect and transient.