White Oak Studio

Yesterday I was talking about my new Goddess "Diana: Protector of the Animals" box.

I took a risk and e-mail the artists, Paul and Brenda Bonnes, of West Virginia and Brenda kindly replied. Our on-going dialog over the past few days was most enlightening. Brenda shared her method of working, how the box came about and her work in general.  What a value added opportunity to be able to ask my questions of the artist and have them answered.

Brenda wrote;

Hi Donna,
  So good to here from you. It is so hard for me to part from our
pieces. Your letter is so welcome because I could feel that you
understood where it was all coming from.
  First, I want to say that Paul's work comes from a  need to create
and
to work with his hands. Mine is a mystery. I worked for many years as a
commercial artist. It was satisfying because I love to design and I
love
to work on tight deadlines. However, it doesn't quench the need to
express what's inside trying to get out.
  I became interested in working with Paul because I wanted to make
altars. He thinks it's a little strange but we began. He makes boxes
that can be used for many purposes and I stick somewhat to matters of
the spirit because that's what I want to create.
  "Diana began when I saw a photograph of a deer behind some saplings.
That stayed in my mind until I read that Diana was a protector of the
hunted and the hunter. I had always seen her with a bow and arrow. I
was
raised as a National Park Service brat so I have always been a
protector
in my heart. Then last year I took in two orphaned lambs and I have
been
their protector for the last year. So I knew that Diana was my next
subject and the deer and the saplings were great design elements. The
crows almost always show themselves in my work. The saplings became
birch because I liked the white, black and blue design.
  As for doing more Goddesses, yes I'm sure there will be more. 
Actually, another piece we did that is at Tamerark, "Secrets of the
Sea", is based on a goddess, Amphitrite. I had planned the box with a
Thunderbird. The design was all worked out but when I started to draw
it
was a sea goddess, nothing like I had been planning. I walked into
Paul's shop and he said I hope you are doing something with a sea theme
because my hinges want to look like seashells! So that just goes to
show
that more is going on here than we understand.
   Enjoy "Diana", I know she's in good hands!
    Brenda

P.S.
The box is made of sassafras. We love the greenish tint of sassafras
with the red of the cherry wood of the hinges. I believe the inside
boxed are walnut but  I will double-check with Paul.

Such a smart artist to take a few minutes to speak with me. They have made a lifetime collector out of me.