October 15, 2024

Beauty Arts

The Arts Authority

Wood, solitude and time create beautiful art in Davidson County man’s hands |

Wood, solitude and time create beautiful art in Davidson County man’s hands |

Midway — Look inside of Dale Davis’ Davidson County workshop on any provided working day and it seems like he’s in there by himself shaping wooden into pieces of art as the miter and circular saws grind and excitement.

But if you sit down to speak to him about his craft and his time invested in the little workshop at the rear of his home in Midway, he’ll tell you he’s not in there by itself. God is there with him, the identical God that pulled him out of his addiction to opiates and has kept him clear for 15 many years.

A 1996 graduate of North Davidson Higher, he has a history in graphic arts and owned a couple of companies, including Watermarkd, a signal company in Arcadia. A knee harm was the starting of his dependancy to opiates and painkiller.

“I received to the level in which no a person could assistance me but God,” he reported. “One day, I last but not least explained, ‘I’m yours whether I reside or die.’ That was 15 several years back.”

He has kept his eyes and coronary heart with God since, listening to His plans and assistance, Davis claimed. He also potential customers a Rejoice Restoration group at his church, Pinedale Christian.

Although he credits the reward of a woodworking package from his wife, Jill Koonts Davis, with receiving him started off with woodworking, he stated he is aware it was God’s whispers to Jill that designed her give him the gift and still inspires him daily to build art.

“God is range one particular in my life,” he explained. “That is my principal job, … earning disciples and spreading the term. I like the solitude of the workshop. We generate so a lot of things when we are in there.”

When asked about his use of “we,” he claimed, “You know, I say we a large amount,” with a smile spreading across his experience.

“We is God and me. I love the solitude of doing the job in my shop, but I am not in there alone. Solitude and remaining by yourself are two diverse points. I perform with Jesus,” he stated.

When his preceding job began phasing out, he took a leap of religion in Oct 2022, opening Odd Knot Woodworks, offering his creations at Missions Pottery and More in Lexington and from his small business Facebook web page.

Davis was looking for a place to sell his do the job and wanted an concept for one thing abnormal he could promote. It was just just before Xmas, so his spouse recommended a star. Davis had no thought how to make a single, with all the cuts and details it would consider.

He joked that the initial 1 he made looked like a sand spur. Every endeavor enhanced till the final product looked like a star. He did not necessarily mean to make it search like a Moravian star, even so.

“It’s really just a star,” he stated. “People started off contacting it a Moravian star. “It’s the mild of Jesus in our earth. Any time I make a little something, I have to determine it our, but not on paper. I do it in my head. I’m not a math particular person figuring out angles on paper. I’m an artist.”

He identified as several studios and suppliers to see if they ended up fascinated in providing his creations. Joyce and Tommy Davis, no relation, entrepreneurs of Missions Pottery, have been the to start with to reach out to him.

“Joyce termed and explained to deliver my things to the retailer,” he explained. “I’m so grateful.”

The 7-inch and 12-inch huge stars flew off the shelf. It was really hard to keep up with the need.

Davis also creates jewellery and souvenir bins, cutting boards and attractive artwork these kinds of as sunflowers. In addition, he works by using chainsaws to make household and back garden decor these as gnomes and owls.

“A whole lot of time, I will be out there in the shop and I never know what to make,” he reported. “I pray about it. I just know that this is in which God needs me correct now. I do this to remain close to God. It enables me to make. I’m earning a little something that delivers joy to someone else.”