Hello, my name is Dax.
I am an artist and woodworker based in Bellevue, Nebraska. I express my artistic visions in two main ways; painting with acrylics and used latex house paints, and constructing hand-carved frames, sculptures, and unique art pieces from salvaged wood and furniture. Beyond my intentional choice of materials, I have no consistant agenda in my body of work. I draw influence and inspiration from a myriad of sources, with my ultimate intent being to simply make interesting and unique works of art, no matter the style or subject. I find the world to be full of beauty, even in the most unlikely places, and this beauty inspires me to create.
The one thing I do my best to be consistent with is the use of salvaged wood and paint in creating my pieces. In using these materials, I am striving to not only bring awareness to the wastefulness of modern society, but to also celebrate these forgotten pieces of our lives. In using old floorboards from a remodeled house, or in taking an old baby crib and using it in creating a carved picture frame, I want the viewer to contemplate that these things once had a different life. There was once a child that slept in that crib, and those old boards once graced a dining room floor that felt the tread of a million steps. It is my way of saying that in a world where we are so quick to abandon the old for the new, there are things in that are not, and should never be, disposable. Additionally, I feel it is but the small part I can play in the future of our world, eliminating just a miniscule fraction of waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
**Quick Notes on Woodworking**
In most cases, my original paintings are framed with unique, hand-made frames built with salvaged wood, and are intended to be part of the finished piece. I pride myself in finding interesting ways to utilize various woods and finishes and frame constructions. I personally feel that when someone buys a peice from me, they are getting not just a painted canvas, but a finished product. That said, if you are looking for a piece that you’d like to frame to match your decor, I’ll gladly accommodate. Also, I feel I must note that I am NOT a traditional, classically trained woodworker. If you are looking for perfect joinery, I’m not the guy. My knowledge of woodworking has been gleened from much trial and error and years of watching PBS on Saturday mornings, and I’ve come to call my style “Geurilla Woodworking”. My work may look a little rough, but I promise it will be solidly built and unlike anything you can find at the store.
