About the Artist

Over 30 years ago, John began his life of woodworking when he created carved folk figures. He marketed his folk figures to gift and craft shops at tourist destinations along the east coast. In the mid 1990’s, John taught himself the decorative art of chip carving.

Chip carving is a style of woodcarving in which knives are used to remove selected “chips” of wood in a single piece. John uses two hand-held knives. No power tools are ever used for carving. Almost every society throughout history has a carving tradition that fits this definition. Items such as furniture, plates, and boxes have been decorated for centuries with this technique.

John makes hand-turned plates, framed mirrors, frames, quilt racks, display cases, wind chimes and clocks decorated with chip carved designs which have been sold at fine American craft galleries from Cape Cod to Hatteras Island. He also creates custom family heirloom keepsakes commemorating weddings, births and anniversaries along with custom plaques and signs.

Five years ago, after thirty-one years as a Nichiren Buddhist and SGI member, John’s woodworking and carving experience culminated in creating custom chip carved butsudans for new members. It has become John’s greatest benefit to be able to combine his Buddhist practice with his love of woodworking to create beautiful and unique butsudans for SGI members all across the United States, Canada and even The United Kingdom.