Wooden Robots
Purple Rain No74
Purple Rain No74 is a one-of-a-kind wooden robot sculpture made from Red Leaf Maple, stabilized and dyed an almost electric purple. The stabilization brings out the figure and movement in the maple while the saturated color transforms it into something that barely seems like wood at first glance.
And this one is a little crazy.
Throughout the body are hand-set green malachite and brass inlays, flashes of bright green and warm metal against the purple maple. At the center of its chest is a real Blue Carpenter Bee, preserved in front of shimmering mother of pearl. The iridescence of the bee and mother of pearl shifts with the light, making the chest feel almost alive.
Then there are the eyes.
The head is made from beautifully figured Australian Salmon Gum burl, with Arizona Desert Ironwood used for the earpieces. Each eye combines purple-pink Dichrolam, real straw flowers, and tree frog eyes. The Dichrolam changes dramatically depending on the light and viewing angle, creating layers of color behind the flowers—and giving Purple Rain an expression that is pretty difficult to ignore.
There is a lot happening in this piece: purple maple, green stone, brass, burl, flowers, a carpenter bee, mother of pearl and those slightly unhinged frog eyes. Somehow, it all works.
The head pivots on a magnetic ball joint, allowing its position and expression to be changed. The arms and legs are fully articulated and can be repositioned using the included Allen key.
Details
Stabilized Red Leaf Maple body
Dyed electric purple
Green malachite inlays
Brass inlays
Real Blue Carpenter Bee preserved in the chest
Mother-of-pearl chest background
Australian Salmon Gum burl head
Purple-pink Dichrolam eyes
Real straw flower eye details
Tree frog eyes
Arizona Desert Ironwood earpieces
Magnetic ball-joint head
Articulating arms and legs
Allen key included
One of a kind
The base will be made after purchase, allowing me to create a base specifically for Purple Rain No74 before it heads to its new home.
As with all of my wooden robots, Purple Rain No74 is made one at a time by hand. The natural figure, inclusions, textures, and imperfections in the wood aren't something I try to hide—they're part of what makes each piece completely its own.
Care: Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight. Dust gently with a soft cloth or brush. When repositioning the arms or legs, use the included Allen key to loosen and retighten the joints rather than forcing them.
Thank you for supporting handmade art and giving Purple Rain No74 a place to call home.
Timber Mountain 2.0 No. 67 is a taller, evolved companion to the original—built from extraordinary old-growth redwood jeweler’s lace burl, a material so rare and intricate it feels almost impossible that nature made it at all. The grain moves like memory through the body, full of depth and texture.
Its chest holds a piece of Bolivian Purple Heart, a bold pulse of color set against the warmth of the redwood, while brass ring inlays bring a subtle mechanical rhythm to the piece. The live-edge arms and legs were intentionally left raw, preserving the untamed character of the wood and giving the robot a more weathered, organic presence—as if it rose from the forest rather than being built in a shop.
Its head is carved from the very last piece of black box burl I had in my collection, making this piece even more personal and irreplaceable. The eyes are hand-carved mountain forms, carefully painted and set against a luminous mother-of-pearl sky, with a level of depth and dimension I’ve only been able to achieve a handful of times.
This is more than a wooden robot to me. It is, without question, my favorite one I have ever made. There is something deeply complete about it—like all the pieces, materials, and years of making finally arrived where they were meant to.
As with all of my pieces, every cut is a memory of the tree.
Purple Rain No86
Purple Rain No86 is a one-of-a-kind wooden robot sculpture made from Red Leaf Maple, stabilized and dyed a deep, electric purple. Standing 16 inches tall on its own and just shy of 23 inches tall with its base, this is one of my favorite pieces in the Purple Rain series.
Stabilizing the maple does more than create that incredible color. The wood is impregnated with resin under vacuum, filling its pores and greatly reducing the natural movement of the wood as humidity changes. The result is an exceptionally stable material that is also highly water-resistant, while still retaining the figure, grain, and character of the original maple.
Throughout the body are hand-set ebony inlays wrapped in brass. The nearly black ebony against the electric purple creates a striking contrast, while the thin brass borders catch the light and add just a little warmth.
At the center of its chest is something much quieter.
A single wish.
One delicate dandelion puff, preserved at the moment before the wind could carry it away. Something normally here for only an instant is held still inside the chest of Purple Rain No86.
And then there are the eyes.
These may be some of my favorite eyes I've ever made. Each contains a mountain landscape hand-carved from Black Walnut, set in front of luminous mother of pearl. The color and iridescence of the mother of pearl shift as the light and viewing angle change, creating greens, blues, purples, and flashes of color behind the dark mountain silhouettes.
The effect reminds me of the Aurora Borealis dancing over a distant mountain range. No paint could quite reproduce it because the light itself is part of what creates the landscape.
These eyes are especially vibrant in calmer, lower-light settings. Indoors, the mother of pearl really comes alive—the colors seem to pop from behind the walnut mountains and shift as you move around the piece. Like the Northern Lights themselves, they can feel completely different depending on how and where you see them.
The head is made from Corrugata burl, bringing another layer of figure and natural complexity to the piece. It pivots on a magnetic ball joint, allowing the position of the head—and with it, Purple Rain's expression—to be changed. The arms and legs are fully articulated and can be repositioned using the included Allen key.
The Base
The base shown in the photographs was made specifically for Purple Rain No86 and is included with the sculpture.
Made from Maple burl, the base stands approximately 6 inches tall and measures 6.25" × 5.75" at its footprint. Natural live-edge accents have been preserved, and the surface has been given a hand-burnished texture that encompasses the base, adding another layer of movement and texture while allowing the character of the burl to remain front and center.
Together, Purple Rain No86 and its base stand just shy of 23 inches tall.
Details
Stabilized Red Leaf Maple body
Dyed electric purple
Approximately 16" tall without base
Just under 23" tall displayed with base
Corrugata burl head
Ebony inlays wrapped in brass
A single preserved dandelion puff in the chest
Hand-carved Black Walnut mountain eyes
Mother-of-pearl eye backgrounds
Aurora Borealis-inspired appearance
Maple burl base made specifically for No86
Live-edge details on base
Hand-burnished texture encompassing the base
Base approximately 6" tall
Base footprint approximately 6.25" × 5.75"
Magnetic ball-joint head
Articulating arms and legs
Allen key included
One of a kind
As with all of my wooden robots, Purple Rain No86 is made one at a time by hand. The natural figure, inclusions, textures, live edges, and imperfections in the wood aren't something I try to hide—they're part of what makes each piece completely its own.
Care: Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight to help preserve the color of the wood. Dust gently with a soft cloth or brush. When repositioning the arms or legs, use the included Allen key to loosen and retighten the joints rather than forcing them.
Thank you for supporting handmade art and giving Purple Rain No86—and the single wish it carries—a place to call home.
Hand harvested and stabilized spalted maple burl with gaboon ebony inlays wrapped in brass. The head is crafted from Australian York gum burl with hand carved mountain eyes made from claro walnut. The sky’s are Vietnamese mother of pearl. The wings are made from Arizona desert Ironwood. This robot comes with a redwood burl base.
Meet Jarrah burl No86. This wooden robot has a Conccina burl head from Australia with hand carved mountain eyes with an aurora borealis sky of mother of pearl. Within its chest is a meadow of Brazilian star daisies. The base is oral growth redwood burl, my guess is at least 1000 years old.
Sequoia Sempervirens No79
Sequoia Sempervirens No79 is a one-of-a-kind wooden robot sculpture handcrafted from an extraordinary piece of old-growth Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). Standing approximately 15.5 inches tall without its base, this piece brings together ancient wood, flowers, metal, and light—with a few surprises that only reveal themselves under the right conditions.
This is an exceptionally rich piece of redwood. It is dark, mineral-stained, highly figured, and deeply weathered, with the kind of character that can only come from an incredible amount of time. I believe the wood itself is at least 1,000 years old.
There is something different about making a piece from wood like this. A connection happens somewhere between finding the wood and seeing the finished piece that is difficult for me to describe. I've carried it off the beach, cut into it without knowing exactly what I'll find, worked with everything nature left behind, and slowly watched it become something entirely new. By the time a robot like Sequoia Sempervirens No79 is finished, that connection feels almost profound. It's one of my favorite parts of making these pieces.
At the center of its chest is a Shasta daisy that we grew ourselves, carefully dried in a way that captured the flower as though it were blowing in the wind. Suspended within the chest, that little moment of movement is preserved permanently inside the robot.
The eyes are made from shimmering Dichrolam with cross-cuts of real Protea flowers. As the viewing angle and light change, the Dichrolam shifts in color and depth behind the flowers, giving No79 an expression that seems to change along with it.
But turn on a black light and something else happens.
The Protea flowers glow under UV light, revealing colors and details hidden within the materials under normal lighting.
Throughout the body are hand-set ebony inlays wrapped in brass. The deep black ebony and fine brass borders feel especially at home against the dark, mineral-stained redwood, highlighting rather than competing with the remarkable figure of the wood.
The head pivots on a magnetic ball joint, allowing its position and expression to be changed. The arms and legs are fully articulated and can be repositioned using the included Allen key.
Details
Old-growth Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
Believed to be at least 1,000 years old
Dark, mineral-stained and naturally weathered
Highly figured old-growth wood
Approximately 15.5" tall without base
Homegrown Shasta daisy preserved in the chest
Dichrolam eyes
Cross-cut Protea flower eye details
UV-reactive Protea flowers
Ebony inlays wrapped in brass
Magnetic ball-joint head
Articulating arms and legs
Allen key included
One of a kind
The base will be made after purchase, allowing me to create a base specifically for Sequoia Sempervirens No79 before it heads to its new home.
As with all of my wooden robots, No79 is made one at a time by hand. The natural grain, mineral staining, weathering, inclusions, textures, and imperfections in this ancient redwood aren't something I try to hide—they are part of its history and part of what makes this piece what it is.
Care: Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight. Dust gently with a soft cloth or brush. When repositioning the arms or legs, use the included Allen key to loosen and retighten the joints rather than forcing them.
Thank you for supporting handmade art and giving Sequoia Sempervirens No79 a place to call home.
Myrtle No78
Myrtle No78 is a one-of-a-kind wooden robot sculpture handcrafted from Bay Laurel (Myrtle) that I harvested by hand. Standing approximately 15.5 inches tall without its base, this piece brings together wood, flowers, metal, and light—with a few surprises that only reveal themselves under the right conditions.
There is something different about making a piece from wood that I've found and harvested myself. A connection happens somewhere between finding the wood and seeing the finished piece that is difficult for me to describe. I've carried it off the beach, cut into it without knowing exactly what I'll find, worked with everything nature left behind, and slowly watched it become something entirely new. By the time a robot like Myrtle No78 is finished, that connection feels almost profound. It's one of my favorite parts of making these pieces.
At the center of its chest is a Shasta daisy that we grew ourselves, carefully dried in a way that captured the flower as though it were blowing in the wind. Suspended within the chest, that little moment of movement is preserved permanently inside the robot.
The eyes are made from shimmering Dichrolam with cross-cuts of real Protea flowers. As the viewing angle and light change, the Dichrolam shifts in color and depth behind the flowers, giving Myrtle No78 an expression that seems to change along with it.
But turn on a black light and something else happens.
The Protea flowers glow under UV light—and so does the Myrtle itself, revealing colors and details hidden within the materials under normal lighting.
Throughout the body are hand-set ebony inlays wrapped in brass. The deep black ebony creates a beautiful contrast against the warm Myrtle, while the thin brass borders catch the light and frame each inlay.
The head pivots on a magnetic ball joint, allowing its position and expression to be changed. The arms and legs are fully articulated and can be repositioned using the included Allen key.
Details
Hand-harvested Bay Laurel (Myrtle) body
Approximately 15.5" tall without base
Homegrown Shasta daisy preserved in the chest
Dichrolam eyes
Cross-cut Protea flower eye details
UV-reactive Protea flowers
Naturally UV-reactive Myrtle
Ebony inlays wrapped in brass
Magnetic ball-joint head
Articulating arms and legs
Allen key included
One of a kind
The base will be made after purchase, allowing me to create a base specifically for Myrtle No78 before it heads to its new home.
As with all of my wooden robots, Myrtle No78 is made one at a time by hand. The natural grain, inclusions, textures, and imperfections in the wood aren't something I try to hide—they're part of what makes the piece what it is.
Care: Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight. Dust gently with a soft cloth or brush. When repositioning the arms or legs, use the included Allen key to loosen and retighten the joints rather than forcing them.
Thank you for supporting handmade art and giving Myrtle No78 a place to call home.
From my Entomology Series, this wooden robot is carved from fiddleback Australian Ringed Gidgee, among the densest woods on earth. Its weight is immediate and undeniable—stone-like, grounding—while the fiddleback grain moves beneath the surface like something still alive within it.
The head is formed from Australian Black Box burl, its natural chaos contrasting the density of the body. Brass ring inlays introduce a subtle mechanical order. The eyes—real honeycomb backed with mother of pearl—hold a quiet luminosity, organic structure meeting iridescent depth.
Set within the chest, a single blue carpenter bee from Java rests before mother of pearl—preserved, suspended, a moment held in time.
As with all of my pieces, every cut is a memory of the forest.
This work sits at the intersection of natural history and reconstruction—where timber, insect, and hand converge into something that feels both discovered and made.
Red leaf maple that has been stabilized and dyed Prince purple. Hand carved mountain eyes with an Aurora borialis sky of mother of pearl. One single wish within its heart💜
Myrtle No71
Myrtle No71 is a one-of-a-kind wooden robot sculpture handcrafted from Bay Laurel (Myrtle) that I harvested by hand. Standing approximately 16 inches tall without its base, Myrtle No71 brings together wood, stone, flowers, insects, and a little bit of the unexpected.
Set within the chest is a Sawtooth Stag Beetle from Java, preserved in front of shimmering mother of pearl. Throughout the body are hand-set inlays of green malachite, adding flashes of deep, natural color against the warm tones and grain of the Myrtle.
And then there are the eyes.
Each eye contains a real straw flower set in front of dichroic laminate, with tree frog eyes at the center. Depending on the light and viewing angle, the dichroic material shifts and reflects color behind the flowers, giving Myrtle No71 an expression that seems to change right along with it.
The head is made from Australian Salmon Gum with Arizona Desert Ironwood accents and pivots freely on a magnetic ball joint, allowing the robot's expression and posture to be changed.
The arms and legs are fully articulated and can be repositioned using the included Allen key.
Details
Hand-harvested Bay Laurel (Myrtle) body
Approximately 16" tall without base
Sawtooth Stag Beetle from Java
Mother-of-pearl chest background
Green malachite inlays
Straw flower, dichroic laminate & tree frog eyes
Australian Salmon Gum head
Arizona Desert Ironwood accents
Magnetic ball-joint head
Articulating arms and legs
Allen key included
One of a kind
The base shown in the final piece will be made after purchase, allowing me to create a base specifically for Myrtle No71 before it heads to its new home.
As with all of my wooden robots, Myrtle No71 is made one at a time by hand. The natural grain, inclusions, textures, and imperfections in the wood aren't something I try to hide—they're part of what makes the piece what it is.
Care: Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight. Dust gently with a soft cloth or brush. When repositioning the arms or legs, use the included Allen key to loosen and retighten the joints rather than forcing them.
Thank you for supporting handmade art and giving Myrtle No71 a place to call home.