I was born and raised into a multi-generation northern Vermont dairy farming family. Milking cows was not for me. I loved cooking in my grandmother’s or mother’s kitchen throughout the year. I enjoyed being in the sugarhouse making maple syrup in the spring, doing field work in the summer and cutting wood in the winter. My love for food led me to earning a degree at The Culinary Institute of America. Later joining Hyatt Corporation and working 24 years as an Executive Chef, I was blessed with expanding my skill and knowledge in culinary, ice sculpting, drawing and painting after my wife and I moved to Northern Virginia in 1981. I was privileged to study at the The Art League School in Alexandria and The Corcoran School of Art.
The reclaimed wood from Eco Friendly Lumber in Catharpin, Va. evolves into the bowls and platters displayed here at The Arlington Artist Alliance each produced one at a time by hand. I do the rough work with a chainsaw then move to grinders and sanding for the end product. The character, shape and individuality of each piece attempt to reveal nature’s beauty one bowl at a time. The “BNGB” signature is in honor of my family.
The repurposing of the wood I am blessed to work with, presents an opportunity to “see inside”. Hopefully you will be forever moved when the moment is with you to pause and imagine the beauty that lies within.
