Part of my creative process is being witness to everything around me. Being witness means looking and listening with care and attention, moving slowly, noticing as much as possible. Colors are more vivid; objects have more texture and detail; light and shadow are in strong contrast. Being witness always leads me to new creative ideas and inspiration.

While walking along a creek in the Sierra Mountains, I came across two perfect branch pieces – one became a walking stick and the other a talking stick. Aside from removing some remnants of bark, both sticks were left natural. I simply used hemp twine to create a wrapped handhold on each and added a pair of tassels as a minimal decoration.