Chuck Spilman
“While carving, paralysis is shoved aside and replaced by a vibrant man creating beauty with his hands, guided by his soul.”
Pushing a sharp blade into compliant wood takes me to a place of peace and comfort, allowing my inner artist to create a carving pleasing me and whoever views my contribution to artistry in wood. While carving, paralysis is shoved aside and replaced by a vibrant man creating beauty with his hands, guided by his soul. Wood carving, for me, is therapeutic, cathartic, and offers the bonus of personal expression and self-worth. I began wood carving several months post-injury. My previous past time restoring vintage motorcycles became furiously frustrating when I lost the ability to be ambulatory. Being a member of the SC Spinal Cord Injury Association brings me into contact with people who look like me as they are me only in different bodies.