Glimpsing

Jesse: This is a rare original by David Markham, a Welsh hobbyist who at this point in time is basically THE cutting edge of the whittling world (a little wood-cutting humor). He produces some mind-bending stuff, and while it still feels a little icky to call it fine art this dude is this close to being considered the Picasso of carving sad little sailing ships that remind you of your dead uncle.

The key to his success is the way he broaches these heavy topics that no one else will touches in a way you'd never even think of. It's one existential nightmare after another, and staring at an exhibition of his work you start to feel like you're reading Dostoevsky at home alone on Christmas Eve while your weird old neighbor stands in his driveway for hours with a snow shovel. For example, this one is Santa Claus glimpsing the folly of his own spectacular pursuit for eternal jolliness in the hollow, mirroring eyes of his dog. Other notable works include "Glimpsing Defeat", "Young Child with Deflated Volleyball" (2001) and "Glimpsing Your Own Irrefutable Mortality in your Golden Spoon-Winning Chili Cook-off Entry."

Lisa: I made this at my art class in college, I was like "I very much like dogs and I also really like Christmas because it is practically my birthday" so then I carved this out of a tree and presented it for my dissertation, the thesis is "dogs and Santa have a lot in common" and I was right. I got an A- and I was asked to show my work at a dog convention. True story.