T. Sammie Wakefield

As an artist I notice objects within the environment, and feel moved to honor their beauty, or change them to create a different beauty. Or I may modify objects to improve usefulness for the human condition. Sometimes I do both. My work as an occupational therapist has taught me how the human body moves, and the importance of doing ordinary daily activities with dignity. This, along with southern Appalachian storytelling, inspires my work. I use wood as a primary medium because I have sawdust in my heritage, and I enjoy the challenges of working with the grain as an important design component.