Wood Carving is my signature work- it is the tradition I inherited. I am most creative when drawing designs and carving. 

Headless Snake Carving:
I have ideas for carvings, with elements of  ones I have seen growing up, or just patterns I have in my head.  I begin by sketching the design with pencil, using compasses of different sizes and rulers- Symmetry is at the heart of my work, and I have to measure carefully to complete the sketch.  Then I carve- I use only a mat knife with a razor blade, and sometimes sandpaper to smooth rough edges. This carving was inspired by an old carving from my Saamaka culture which an anthropologist friends saw in a book and asked me to make a table with a similar carving.  It isn't exactly the same- in my culture, we don't usually copy other people's work- it's like trying to get inside someone else's head!  And just like the headless snake, I admit I sometimes didn't know where this was going or how it was going to end up until I finished it! 

One day I started playing around with some wood scraps, and came up with these mosaic wood earrings. They have been quite popular.  They are a nice counterpoint to larger projects, challenging my creativity in miniature.