THE INTENT
This endeavour is inspired by a desire to honour the Spirit and Beauty of one of Mother Nature's remarkable creations, that being The Tree, to which we, and all other living species on this planet are deeply indebted. Mother Nature is the Artisan, and we at Just Drifting see ourselves simply as the instruments to interpret and showcase what we hear and see within the remnants of these remarkable beings, and present them to the world at large.
THE SOURCE
These unique one of a kind pieces, with few exceptions, have been resuscitated from freshwater sources, the lakes, creeks and rivers of our remarkable West Coast.
THE PROCESS
Our first task, and a difficult one, is to choose the pieces that quietly speak to us and bring them home. The task is difficult only because we cannot take them all, and it falls upon us right from the start to be still and contemplative. Once safely in our possession, a great deal of time is spent in examination and contemplation while the pieces are left to dry, which sometimes can take a considerable amount of time, all the while listening. Patience is imperative. Once they are dry enough to work with they are then further examined, power washed, rinsed, given a light bleaching, rinsed again, and once more left to dry, before they are sanded and all sharp edges dulled to prevent damage to caressing hands before the finishing transformative stages begin and the creatures inside slowly begin to emerge. Care is taken not to manipulate the wood any more than necessary in order to achieve our stated objective. It is at this point that a name for each piece generally arrives, simply to act as a reference point as they present themselves in their own unique way to all to interpret as befits them. As is common among many Indigenous Peoples, they are then left for a time "to be born" before being presented to the world.