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Hello
   I m Doug
I was born in Centralia and grew up exploring the rocky shores of Puget Sound...
From an early age, I have always felt a profound connection to nature.
It is the essence of who I am, and it is deeply woven into my art and every aspect of my life.
My journey in the arts has been far from straightforward.
I have always loved drawing and painting, and I taught myself over the years—learning through practice, curiosity, and a lot of trial and error.
With the help of my brother Steve—an accomplished artist and founder of Cellar Cast—I stepped into the world of fantasy sculpting. I found so much joy in bringing the characters and ideas from my imagination into three-dimensional life, creating pieces full of personality and story.
Over time, my sculptures have found homes with customers across the U.S., as well as in Japan and the UK. A few of my drawings have even made their way onto greeting cards, which has been a fun and rewarding surprise along the way.
Above: " Peebles the Elf and the Troll cross"
Drawing in colored pencils.
Right: "Spot the Troll" Sculpture in Monster Clay
It was during the pandemic in 2020 that building birdhouses began to shape my creative journey. What started as a simple craft quickly became a vital part of my identity—bringing healing, joy, and fulfillment into my life. I haven’t looked back since. My birdhouses stand as a testament to a life lived in awe and reverence for nature, each one a labor of love, meticulously crafted with care and attention to detail.
I draw endless inspiration from the natural world, captivated by the raw textures of weathered wood and the intricate patterns of bark and moss. When I hold a piece of wood, I don’t just see a material—I see faces, shapes, and stories waiting to be revealed through carving. My love for fantasy has also shaped my work, influenced by stories like The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, as well as the magical artistry of illustrators John Bauer, Brian Froud, and Rien Poortvliet.
Each tree spirit, troll, and woodland being I carve emerges with its own unique personality, a reflection of both nature’s organic beauty and the magic I see within it.
The saying that art and creativity save lives rings deeply true for me—it has been both my refuge and my purpose.
I invite you to explore my work and hope you find something that resonates with you, something to cherish and share with those you love.
Welcome. I'm so glad you are here.
The lamplighter and the knife grinder
Honoring & Remembering
Over the past fourteen years, I've experienced the profound loss of two incredibly important individuals in my life: my best friend Michael in 2011, and my younger brother Luke, who succumbed to brain cancer in 2019.
Grief numbs your body, breaks your heart, and drains your veins, but grief is also just another form of love. Thinking about my brother sometimes overwhelms me with pain because he is not around anymore, but thinking about him also fills me with immense joy. I think about the happiest moments of my life that we shared, and it makes me feel incredibly grateful.
Working with wood and building birdhouses has provided me with a healthy way to cope with grief and anxiety. It taught me about mindfulness and gave me the strength to pull through knowing that my grief will never be too big for nature to hold. I find comfort in building birdhouses and foraging for all the natural elements I use to decorate them.
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Nothing in this world can bring my loved ones back, nothing can ever replace their presence, and nothing can ever explain my loss. But acknowledging their ever-lingering presence in my life and living a happy, fearless life just like they did is my Option B, and remembering and honoring them through my work gives me something positive to focus on and to be proud of.
When I build a birdhouse I am not just putting pieces of wood together. I am pouring my heart out.
Even in the most difficult times, I’m aware that I’ve been fortunate and it makes me so happy when people can see it reflected in the whimsy of my birdhouses.
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" I believe my loved ones live on within me and I’m grateful for their influence in shaping the man I am today.
If I can live a life half as whole as theirs and celebrate every moment just the way they would want me to, I will consider myself lucky. "
Luke & Guapo
1965-2019
Betty & Michael
1934-2021
1947-2011
Praise of a Man
- In remembrance -
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"He went through a company like a lamplighter —
see the dull minds, one after another,
begin to glow, to shed
a beneficent light.
He went through a company like a knifegrinder
— see the dull minds
scattering sparks of themselves,
becoming razory, becoming useful.
He went through a company as himself.
But now he’s one of the multitudinous company
of the dead where are no individuals.
The beneficent lights dim but don’t vanish.
The razor edges dull but still cut.
He’s gone: but you can see his tracks still,
in the snow of the world."
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