Dean Robertson (non-native artist)
As I told a sad woman once who’s tree had died and was being cut down, “I can give your tree new life!”
My name is Dean.
My story is long but let me run the high points by you that led to what I do now.
As a late teen I fell to the allure of hard drugs and lived homeless on the streets for quite a few years. Twenty years ago I decided that if I didn’t change my habits I would not make it. Getting clean and sober was one of the hardest things I ever did. Early in sobriety I had no focus in life and I went on a search for direction and focus. My extensive travels led me to Alaska where I followed my Grizzly Adams childhood dream of living in the wilderness. I spent eight years living off the grid studying the ancient ways the natives used to survive in that environment. I mastered many of the first peoples’ skills and techniques of making things using organic natural materials. I carved bone, antler and wood. I made baskets from roots and bark. I learned to make wood framed kayaks used by the Aleut. I lived a life close to nature using what materials I found, gathered and bartered for.
Eventually I returned to the world enriched with knowledge and skills. One of my first stops was a two year program offered by the Seattle Central Community College. The program was a Marine Carpentry education at the Wood Technology Center.
Boat building was something I enjoyed very much. The instructors there were very open minded and really catered to the individual’s skills and talents. My business English class teacher really encouraged us to think outside the box and find our own niche.
The school had a large wood recycle bin that we were allowed to take materials from. There was always a plethora of interesting wood scraps in there beckoning me to expand my creative nature. A knot in a piece of wood in particular caught my eye one time. It really spoke to me. I crafted a wood pendant for my wife from it. So many people appreciated it that I began looking for more interesting knots in the bin at school and in time began making pendants and earrings to sell at the Seattle Ballard Farmers Market on Sundays to help pay my school bill.
A long story short, that was seven years ago and I’ve sold 40,000 pairs of reclaimed wood earrings since. I get most of my wood now as leftover scraps from other wood worker’s projects. In addition a fair amount of my wood comes through arborists trimming urban trees and also driftwood or broken furniture I might find at a thrift store.
Reclaimed Wood Jewelry has become my passion and I have created a wonderful business to support my family with.
As I told a sad woman once who’s tree had died and was being cut down, “I can give your tree new life!”
