The board for the personal care home in the town of
Ste Rose commissioned me to build this sculpture to
honor those who donated money to the home. Every
hand forged leaf represents a person who gave
money to the personal care home. The leaves have
been heated to different patina colors and clear
coated. This was one of my favorite pieces to work
on. A lot of my favorite pieces of art have a story
behind them. This one is a little more serious.
Ironically while working on this project in the winter of 2009 I was seriously ill. I ignored symptoms for a long time until the point where I began passing out from intense pain. Like a lot of farmers who live in rural Manitoba I am extremely stubborn. Eventually I gave in and saw a doctor and began looking for answers.
Providentially we had sold our heard of cattle that January. So I had a lighter work load. However I could not work more than two hours at a time on the tree sculpture without becoming extremely exhausted and needing to sleep. My wife and I worried. I prepared my will. I called my life insurance company. I prayed with my kids. I read my bible a lot. I wanted to know without a doubt about what would happen when I died.
Through it all, the promises of the bible became more precious to me. God helped me. I believe Jesus Christ is God Almighty who became a man. I believe he died and came back to life again. Jesus said in John 6:37 "whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
Ironically while working on this project in the winter of 2009 I was seriously ill. I ignored symptoms for a long time until the point where I began passing out from intense pain. Like a lot of farmers who live in rural Manitoba I am extremely stubborn. Eventually I gave in and saw a doctor and began looking for answers.
Providentially we had sold our heard of cattle that January. So I had a lighter work load. However I could not work more than two hours at a time on the tree sculpture without becoming extremely exhausted and needing to sleep. My wife and I worried. I prepared my will. I called my life insurance company. I prayed with my kids. I read my bible a lot. I wanted to know without a doubt about what would happen when I died.
Through it all, the promises of the bible became more precious to me. God helped me. I believe Jesus Christ is God Almighty who became a man. I believe he died and came back to life again. Jesus said in John 6:37 "whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
It was the hope of eternal life that kept me working on this project when my body was dying. So as I worked on
this sculpture, as I forged each leaf, I called it my resurrection tree.
The darkest day came when my wife and sat across from each other at the kitchen table. She said, "I am pretty sure you have pancreatic cancer" I said, "I am pretty sure you are right." Inside I prayed to God saying, "Okay God, so this is the road you want me to go down. Okay."
Silently we ate our soup across from each other.
That same hour the doctor called to tell me my diagnoses was celiac disease. Something that I could live with. Something that would eventually get better.
Today I am healthy, strong, and grateful to God for life and forgiveness.
For the personal care home the sculpture I made is about honoring those who gave money. For me the sculpture is about hope stronger than death.
The darkest day came when my wife and sat across from each other at the kitchen table. She said, "I am pretty sure you have pancreatic cancer" I said, "I am pretty sure you are right." Inside I prayed to God saying, "Okay God, so this is the road you want me to go down. Okay."
Silently we ate our soup across from each other.
That same hour the doctor called to tell me my diagnoses was celiac disease. Something that I could live with. Something that would eventually get better.
Today I am healthy, strong, and grateful to God for life and forgiveness.
For the personal care home the sculpture I made is about honoring those who gave money. For me the sculpture is about hope stronger than death.