Biography

Denis Gobeil aka Maximus - The Tree Spirit Carver

My name is Denis Gobeil. Though when I’m carving, I use my spiritual name, Maximus, that has been given to me by my teacher as my artist name.  I feel that I am an organic artist.

My love for nature reflects in every piece of creation that my hands bring forth.  Each tree spirit comes alive with its own personality.  Sometimes they cry, or smile, or frown, or wink – I never know until the piece is finished.

I allow the wood to tell me if it wishes to be a family, a couple, or a single face.  I use cottonwood bark because of it softness.  I also walk the beaches of B.C. and collect beach bark for each piece.  I’m grateful to nature for these fits.

I suppose you could say that all my life I have been aware of the artist within me calling.  I went to Vancouver Art School for two years to try on all mediums and I found that photography, painted and sculpting were already inside.

In 2004, a friend invited me to a carving class for six hours.  I found a great joy as I carved the first Tree Spirit’s face and I knew without a doubt that carving is my medium.

Since then, in a short year, I created hundreds of expressions of Tree Spirits.  I also found Buddha.  Most of my pieces traveled to America, Switzerland and Oliver B.C.. Each piece is unique and a gift from my soul to myself and to those who bless me by purchasing them.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to express art which is the language of my spirit.