Born out of a desire to create a sculptural work of art that gives a nod to the ancient hunting lodges of Europe, I created this piece entitled The Black Forest Stag. All of the materials are gathered from old abandoned farms and warehouses all over the US, and I bring these materials back to my studio to begin to rework them into art. The head of the stag is created using vintage baseball gloves and old catcher’s mitts, and I cut these apart and sew them back together to form the center of the piece. I wanted to use a material that was worn with age and use, and that really described the overall feeling of antiquity, without being “old”. The antlers are created from wood that is them wrapped with old ropes, twine, fishing lines, and other handpicked material. The backdrop is assembled from reclaimed and repurposed metal, from old tractor parts to tin ceilings to metal toolboxes; Each piece has been hand cut and reassembled here in my studio in Chicago. As a finished work of art The Black Forest Stag contains an energy that speaks of Colorado hunting cabins and old German lodges, places where tall tales are swapped and folks reminisce about that special hunt or adventurous mountain climb.