The West Coast Wood Sculpting Tree-O consists of Merlayna Snyder, Joanne Taylor and John Holm. Based in Victoria, these three wood sculptors have been sharing techniques and walking their dogs combing local forests and beaches in search of  "found" wood for their one-of-a-kind creations over the past decade. 

Merlayna delights in transforming the dormant beauty of 'found' wood into sculptures to kindle the imagination. The daughter of a prairie grain farmer, Merlayna's love of the ocean has earned her the nickname 'Prairie Dolphin'. She has resided in Victoria, B.C. for the past 20 years and it is here, beside the Pacific Ocean, that she discovered the joy of wood sculpting.  With guidance from J. Christopher White, world champion sculptor from Colorado, Merlayna learned to create ‘flow and movement in wood’. She has developed a playful West Coast style by merging nature's beauty with her enthusiastic creativity.

Joanne first discovered her passion for wood sculpting at a carving course in Victoria, B.C. Her expertise and style have evolved over the past decade to freeform wood sculpting. As a dog lover she finds the two passions intertwine for a lifestyle of forest and beach combing with the inevitable result - the car rarely arrives home without an addition for the wood studio.  As a sculpture evolves from daunting to discovery, the wood slowly comes back to a life of its own and ideally begins to dictate it’s own artistic evolution. The abundance and variety of West Coast woods are an ongoing source of excitement and inspiration as their many rich colors and grains provide both challenges and satisfaction.

John’s extensive international exposure and his resonance with nature contribute to his own unique style of freeform wood sculpting. He uses a variety of tools, hand and power, to make bowls, trays, vessels, and sculptures of utilitarian and decorative function. His medium is mainly burl wood, but other wood of interest found on dead trees, on the beach, in wood piles or obtained through generous benefactors has found it’s way to his studio. Such wood may be coaxed into revealing beauty of grain and colour while at the same time be persuaded to take on a shape pleasing to the eye and fingers.