Sycamore carving: Root carving w/ stone. 2010

Root and Stone:

In this collection of pieces, root and stone collide as riverside trees dig their roots into densely packed, rocky banks. While most trees’ roots push stones to the side as they plunge into the ground, there are certain species of trees that actually incorporate rocks into their root structure. The result is a confluence of materials

in which stones become a semi-permanent part of a tree’s base. As erosion brings these trees down, their rocky roots are left exposed.

Carving wood that has stones in it requires a certain degree of creative flexibility and a willingness to move away from my original design idea as the project evolves. It is impossible to know the size and shape of a stone that lies hidden within root, and sometimes more stone reveals itself unexpectedly as I carve the

wood away, altering my original plans. Despite these challenges, each of these inspiring riverside roots combines materials in a unique way that only nature

could achieve.

Will Worsnopp, Dickinson College, Bronx High School of Science, Sidney Central School, carving, powercarver