The Woodcutter is a ceramic totem covered in gold leaf and acts as a ritualistic sculpture.

This work is based on a fable called ‘The Woodcutter and His Axe’. It tells the story of a woodcutter that works very hard each day, cutting down many trees. As time passes he finds he is not able to cut down as many as he originally could however hard he tries. This is because he has not taken the time to sit and rest and sharpen his Axe.

The Axe represents our mind. If we do not take the time to rest our bodies and sharpen our tools we do not perform as well. The sculpture becomes a reminder of the importance to pause and take a moment to relax.

The totem was originally created to be cleansed by having water poured over it. The ritualistic action allows water to fill the bowl-shaped head and flow out of two holes where the ears would be, and onto the rest of the totem. Not only are we purifying the mind, but the body.