My Christian crafting testimony has to begin with my own testimony. I was raised in a religious home, that is my parents attended church regularly and I was "allowed" to tag along (read that as - "Mark you WILL go"). When I graduated from high school I quickly left house, family and home. The Air Force was to be my home for 4 years. This was in the middle of the Viet Nam war.
In December of 1968 met a woman (who has been my wife for 25 years now) and we decided to get married. But marriage should take place after I got out of the service.
While all my Air Force buddies were being shipped off to Viet Nam, God had different plans for me. I was sent to Europe. It was there that I learned to drink and take drugs. Both being more than plentiful in Europe. (That is not a boast, it is fact).
In December of 1969 a small crisis occurred and I sought the assistance of a minister. He quickly dismissed the minor crisis, recognizing the more important issue of my soul. After about 20 minutes of talking with him, and hearing for the first time (at least the first time I actually listened) that Jesus Christ died for me, I accepted Christ into my heart.
The elation I felt was tremendous. The joy ecstatic. I wondered why I had never heard this message before. After 29 years of being a Christian, I've come to realize the answer to that question is not as easy as I thought, but that is a different story.
Well, several years ago my best friend Mike showed me what could be done with a scroll saw and I got hooked. I began cutting things in pine and quickly progressed up to the hard woods (walnut, cherry, oak, etc.)
About 8 years ago I saw a small jewelry cross and thought to myself,"I could make that in wood!" In retrospect I guess it was the Lord saying to me "I want you to use your hands in a different way" and I began focusing on Christian art.
The rest, well, is history (as they say). I searched for anything that I could cut in wood. I make now creches, crosses, butterflies, doves, hearts, fishes ... you name it, I've probably tried cutting it in wood.
The only things I cut, sand, and finish have Chritstian themes. Several of the pieces are shown as thumbnails in the showcase (as well as below). If you would like to see a larger, more detailed view, simply click on the thumbnail and a larger view will show on your screen.
I have shown my pieces at several craft shows and usually come very close to selling out for a number of reasons:
Each piece, from start to finish, takes 5 to 6 days to complete. The work is extremely therapuetic since I don't work with my hands at my everyday job. I find working in wood very relaxing, sitting in the living room with my wife and daughter watching TV and putting the finishing touches on one of my pieces.
In November of 1997, I met Virginia Neill who owns a Christian gallery (www.intheark.com) in Massachusetts. She convinced me to sell my craft on consignment which is a first for me, since I've never sold anything except at craft shows.
If you have any questions you would like to ask me, densonfamily@oocities.com . I'd be glad to answer any questions you might have regarding them.
