Midway — Appear inside Dale Davis’ Davidson County workshop on any presented working day and it seems to be like he’s in there by himself shaping wood into parts of art as the miter and round saws grind and buzz.
But if you sit down to speak to him about his craft and his time spent in the compact workshop at the rear of his residence in Halfway, he’ll tell you he’s not in there alone. God is there with him, the identical God that pulled him out of his addiction to opiates and has saved him cleanse for 15 decades.
A 1996 graduate of North Davidson High, he has a qualifications in graphic arts and owned a couple of enterprises, together with Watermarkd, a signal organization in Arcadia. A knee injury was the commencing of his habit to opiates and painkiller.
“I bought to the place the place no one particular could support me but God,” he said. “One day, I last but not least said, ‘I’m yours no matter whether I stay or die.’ That was 15 many years back.”
He has retained his eyes and heart with God since, listening to His programs and steering, Davis mentioned. He also prospects a Rejoice Restoration team at his church, Pinedale Christian.
Although he credits the present of a woodworking package from his spouse, Jill Koonts Davis, with having him started out with woodworking, he mentioned he knows it was God’s whispers to Jill that produced her give him the present and however conjures up him every day to develop artwork.
“God is selection 1 in my everyday living,” he explained. “That is my principal occupation, … producing disciples and spreading the word. I like the solitude of the workshop. We generate so quite a few things when we are in there.”
When questioned about his use of “we,” he explained, “You know, I say we a lot,” with a smile spreading across his deal with.
“We is God and me. I appreciate the solitude of doing the job in my shop, but I am not in there on your own. Solitude and currently being by yourself are two distinctive matters. I do the job with Jesus,” he mentioned.
When his preceding occupation commenced phasing out, he took a leap of religion in Oct 2022, opening Odd Knot Woodworks, providing his creations at Missions Pottery and Additional in Lexington and from his organization Facebook web site.
Davis was wanting for a area to provide his get the job done and necessary an idea for a little something strange he could provide. It was just right before Christmas, so his spouse suggested a star. Davis experienced no idea how to make a single, with all the cuts and factors it would take.
He joked that the very first just one he created seemed like a sand spur. Every endeavor improved till the ultimate products looked like a star. He didn’t imply to make it glance like a Moravian star, nonetheless.
“It’s actually just a star,” he reported. “People commenced calling it a Moravian star. “It’s the light of Jesus in our earth. Any time I make anything, I have to determine it our, but not on paper. I do it in my head. I’m not a math particular person figuring out angles on paper. I’m an artist.”
He referred to as many studios and retailers to see if they had been interested in selling his creations. Joyce and Tommy Davis, no relation, proprietors of Missions Pottery, were being the to start with to access out to him.
“Joyce identified as and claimed to provide my things to the keep,” he reported. “I’m so grateful.”
The 7-inch and 12-inch extensive stars flew off the shelf. It was tricky to preserve up with the demand from customers.
Davis also results in jewelry and keepsake packing containers, chopping boards and attractive artwork this kind of as sunflowers. In addition, he takes advantage of chainsaws to make household and yard decor such as gnomes and owls.
“A ton of time, I will be out there in the store and I never know what to make,” he said. “I pray about it. I just know that this is in which God desires me ideal now. I do this to stay shut to God. It allows me to create. I’m creating some thing that brings joy to another person else.”
