As I wander the gently rolling hills surrounding the Green Barn, I often reflect on Wendell Berry’s belief that truly belonging to a place requires both understanding and taking responsibility for its care. He once wrote, “I began to see, however dimly, that one of my ambitions, perhaps my governing ambition, was to belong fully to this place.”

The Lenape people, original stewards of the Brandywine Valley for over 10,000 years, deeply understood this bond. They expressed gratitude for the land’s gifts—its sustenance, shelter, and materials—through rituals and music, often using drums to thank the Creator. Inspired by this tradition, I created a series of drums using locally tanned hides, adorned with fractal designs such as this wave pattern, reflecting the streams that feed into the Brandywine River.

In the 1700s and 1800s, the Pennsylvania Dutch cultivated a rich tradition of Fraktur art in Southeastern Pennsylvania’s rural landscapes. This art, often found on barns, featured vibrant depictions of flowers, birds, stars, and other motifs, painted in a bold palette derived from natural pigments like berries, iron oxide, and apple juice. Using weathered barn siding, I’ve crafted an homage to the Fraktur tradition, blending its colorful, folkloric essence with a sweet fractal, post-modern artistic vision. Most of these pieces are put together with found and locally sourced materials.

Many of the drums and large pieces in this series have been purchased by a private collector. I’m now taking commissions.