Life’s experiences have influenced my work as strongly as my schooling. I was raised on a New England Farm and from a very young age, loved to build, mend, and, rather frequently, improvise when I did not have proper tools or materials to efficiently tackle a project. More recently, the pain and joy of fatherhood are reflected in my work. Other inspiration comes from observation of botanic and aquatic natural forms—egg casings, shells, seed pods, and hives. My pieces, quite labor-intensive, are mainly constructed from strips and shards of band-sawed wood.

-Fritz Dietel