Daily Inspiration: Meet Stephen King

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen King

Hi Stephen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was a 3rd generation woodworker. I started to see wood differently. I would stare at the woodgrain day after day. One day I said “these are trees. I want people to see trees.!” So I set out to make people look at trees differently. 13+ years of trial and error I honed my craft of capturing as much detail as I could.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it’s been a lot of trial and error trying to figure out how to print trees. Every species is different. Every paper is different. Every ink is different. Finally, in 2023, I decided to pursue this full time. It’s scary going all in on something. I didn’t know where my next paycheck would come from.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I print trees. I do not cut any trees down. So I spend a lot of time sourcing trees that have been felled during a storm, for construction or they were at the end of their life. I had to be willing to travel. I have to harvest, load and transport these logs back to the studio. Then comes the hard work of prepping and then printing the tree.
I don’t think many people can extract the detail I capture from the tree.
And my proudest moment to date is being asked to do my first solo exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
My ethos: To give the tree a second chance at life. A second chance at being seen!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sapwoodworks.com
• Instagram: @sapwoodworking