Sandhill Cranes in Utah

I was commissioned to create three projects for a family retreat in the mountains in Utah. I was told it is a very remote area and not accessible during the winter months when snow is on the ground. From the photos I saw and the description of the area it is absolutely beautiful. I have been lucky to have done several projects in Park City and Deer Valley, Utah and Sun Valley, Idaho, and was very glad to be doing more work in such gorgeous country.

All three of these projects allowed me to use my skills in woodworking, woodcarving and glass arts. The first project was the Fox entry I wrote about in my last blog (February, 2018), which was the entryway to the guest lodge. The second project was the entryway for the main lodge, with hand-carved Sandhill cranes and an olive tree. The third project, a hand-carved mantel, I will write about in my next blog.

The pair of doors with the Sandhill cranes, made of solid black walnut, was especially challenging because the design crosses from door to door in heavy relief on both sides of the doors, with my heavily carved and fused glass as well. The perspective turned out great. The photos I am including in this blog are good, but never do justice to the doors in real life, as I am unable to capture the degree of detail with a photograph. To see it in person, to be able to touch the work, is a much different experience than simply seeing it in print.