Day One: Paul in his studio "shoveling wood." A great deal of material needs to be removed before the image begins to appear.
Day Two: This part of the carving process is called "blocking." He develops the most basic shapes of the overall piece from largest to smallest. The image is beginning to emerge.
Day Three: The features and the overall feeling of the piece are becoming apparent. The greatest emotion lies in the face, so Paul defines this area first. Her presence sets the tone for the rest of the piece.
Day Twenty: Detail work begins in earnest. Paul finds, "The foxglove is harder to carve than I expected." Luckily, the garden provides living reference.
Completion: After nearly 300 hours of carving time, the original is molded and cast in resin.