Dan Ferrentino

Artist Statement

My degree in geology and my love of the outdoors and nature inspires my artwork. Moving to the UP after retirement provided me an opportunity to really explore nature. Incorporating wood and stone seemed to follow that passion.

​I start a piece by power carving a wood burl using various types and sizes of grinding and shaping tools. The result is a one-of-a-kind piece. Working with mostly maple and cherry burls, it’s always a surprise to find what’s inside. It’s like cracking open a geode.

I enjoy highlighting the imperfections that exist in the carved burl, leaving what nature has provided. Leaving the natural cracks, holes, wild grains and bark is important to me. I then apply various minerals and metals to these imperfections to enhance the piece. I let the wood speak to my imagination in creating the final project.

The majority of my artwork, so far, has been gifted to family and friends. After running out of potential gift recipients while amassing an inventory, I decided to try Zero Degrees as a market for my art, and I am excited to share it.