As a kid growing up in Westchester, John Depew always had a thing for wood—he began selling firewood when he was 12 and had his own tree-cutting service by the time he was 16. Today, when not overseeing the work of his Mill River Tree Service in Pound Ridge, he’s Down Under in the Outback of Australia, where he scouts out 200-year-old, sun-dried wood from eucalyptus, gidgee, and other indigenous trees, before transforming them into magnificent pieces of sculpture. “Nature is the artist,” says Steve Parker, curator and manager of Wood Art Gallery in New Canaan, Connecticut, where Depew’s work is showcased—and is for sale. “But John goes to extraordinary lengths to find the art in each piece and enhance it.” Like a tree itself, each piece is unique. Works range from small burl wall hangings starting at $200 to imposing eight-foot-tall sculptures that range up to $10,000 at Wood Art Gallery (86 Main St, New Canaan, CT 203-966-8591).
