The Journey...

I'm an Eastern Pennylvania farm boy with several years of carpentry experience and 40 years in pastoral ministry. During those ministry years we lived in the east, the west coast, the northwest and the midwest - all the while, collecting "driftwood"! When we retired in 2003, we chose to invest our retirement years in Roving Volunteers in Christ's Service (RVICS).  We sold our PA home and moved into an RV (34' fifth wheel). For the next ten years our RVICS assignments took us across the country "from Miami, FL to Prince George, BC" - all the while collecting driftwood!  In 2013 we ended our roving and settled in Smithville, TX where RVICS has its national headquarters. (www.rvics.com).  In 2020 health concerns prompted our move to Messiah Village, Mechanicsburg, PA.

About the art

     Branches & Burls is the expression of my mostly hidden artistic gene.  The medium for this expression is natural wood formations - sometimes loosely referred to as driftwood.  Since my introduction to this artistic form in the mid 1960's I, along with my wife Joyce, have picked up hundreds of pieces of nature's sculpture - from back roads and mountains and shores in probably a dozen different states.  In their natual setting, these art treasures have been exposed to several decades of nature's "abuse" - weather, termites, decay, sand... All of this, and more, has been assisting in the formation of these striking creations.  

     My part in this creation wonder (in all the earth there are no two pieces alike!) is twofold:  First, I remove the decayed wood, and often clean crevices with a gentle wire brush, a dental pic, a tooth brush,,,  Compressed air is used for the final preparation. 

    The other part of the process is more psychic:  I fall in love with the piece and begin to "see" a finished creation.  So, taking a finished piece to the Art Gallery (brainvessel.com) creates for me some "separation anxiety" - but, what the heck, I hope that, as one of God's creation gifts blesses your home or office, you will also find yourself feelin' reeal gooood...

                                                                              Glenn Ginder

 e-mail:  jgginder@onemain.com