AD has woodworking in his blood.  Having emigrated from Norway at the age of five and grown up in the Midwest, he yearned for western skies.  He finally moved to Idaho for college.  There he came to love the mountain landscape and started his woodworking career.  He moved to Texas late in his life but when he did, lightening struck upon seeing Mesquite for the first time.  As far as he is concerned, mesquite is the holy grail of wood.  Most of his pieces try to convey a sense of wildness.  They are as much sculpture as furniture but the Scandinavian in him won’t let form override function.  His beds are like sleeping in the mountains.  He often sets mesquite off with other Texas native woods like Texas walnut and spalted pecan.  He incorporates metals like silver and copper, stones such as picture jasper and turquoise in some pieces.

AD works with wood in a different way than most woodworkers.  Each board has a unique soul and shape and he works with it instead of against it.  He seldom joins boards together with straight edges.  Sometimes to emphasis a wild or natural edge he straightens adjoining edges to focus attention and give life to the wild edge.  He loves the natural undulating shapes of peeled mountain cedar posts.

AD was the winner of the 2007 Best of Show and Best Texas Spirit at the Texas Furniture Makers Show in Kerrville.  Whenever his work schedule allows he is an exhibitor in the prestigious Western Design Conference in Wyoming.