Butterfield Garage features "Wizard of Wood" Jim Rivers as March's Artist of the Month

Jim has been practicing woodcraft since he was a child, he began helping his woodcarver uncle search the woods for just the right piece of wood. Wood searching has been an important part of his life ever since. Over a lifetime, Jim has developed an eye for seeing potential in unusual pieces of wood.

“Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to walk through the countryside and find a piece of the Almighty’s creation that I can take home, cut and polish, and turn into something that people will like.” His impressive wood collection includes cedar, sweetgum, oak, and pine.

Lately, Jim has been focusing on sculptures. “A lot of times I’ll bring a piece of wood home, and I know there is something in there, but I can’t quite see it.” He studies a piece of wood to work out what’s already in there — often discovering mythical creatures — and shapes the sculpture to bring out those elements.

What an untrained eye might see as an imperfection, Jim sees as an opportunity. It’s a wonder to watch him work. Crude logs are sawed, shaped, and sanded, coaxed by his touch and sense of the wood’s potential. Edges are not precise. Surprises are embraced. The final finished piece is a work of art, no two pieces are alike. Jim works in his woodshop every day and is continually collecting new wood and experimenting with new techniques.

Butterfield has been graced with his mirrors, tables, and benches for years, and they have become enthusiastically collected. Butterfield Garage will be freshly stocked with new pieces, placed throughout the gallery during the month of March.

Enjoy an artist talk on First Friday Art Walk, March 4th at 6 PM.