Original Natural Wood Sculpture
by Clark Schreibeis

Juniper is a beautiful wood with hues of red, brown, purple and with occasional streaks of yellow running through the grain. Being very aromatic, it is also prized for the lining of cedar chests. Due to these qualities, plus the tightness and character of the grain, it makes an excellent carving wood for either hand or power tools.

While junipers range in height from 15 to 35 feet tall, their trunks average a 10-12 inch radius, rarely exceed two feet in diameter, and usually branch out 3 to 6 feet above the ground into gnarled and twisted limbs.

I've always enjoyed hunting because of the connection it gives me to God's creation in some wildly fantastic places. Juniper is one of my favorite quarries and by hiking through the badlands and rolling hills of eastern Montana, I'm like a kid at Christmas time, closely examining hundreds of dead standing trees (the only ones suitable for carving) and fawning and dreaming of all the possibilities. No two trees are alike and I have great respect for these old twisted trees that had lived for hundreds of years in such a harsh environment and then finally succumb to their age and the elements.

Searching for just the right piece for a chosen design is very challenging and yet there are few pastimes I enjoy as much. It's a thrill and gives great satisfaction to view the wood from its birthplace in the land and follow it all the way through to a finished carving. My prayer is that these sculptures not only bring people closer to the to the wildlife that they represent but also give honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Creator and Master Designer of all."