Story prompt: Write your own river story …

The James River is a constant source of contemplation. Paddling by canoe and kayak becomes a form of meditation. I have carved significant sections of the river that I have personal relationships with and mounted them on flat rectangular Naked Raku-fired backgrounds. Like the random carbon marking on the Naked Raku, whittled marks in cherry create a sense of frozen movement like the surface of a river, like the sand in a Zen garden.

Photos and artwork by Paul (Buddy) Terrell