As an artist rather than an environmental consultant, I have luxury of appreciating the shapes and colors as well as the physical features shown on the aerial photographs. I typically begin a sculpture by selecting a portion of an aerial that has aesthetic appeal, be it a creek, wetlands or even a manmade feature. The next step is to draw dozens of thumbnail sketches to find compatible abstract shapes for the wood and metal. I then select the wood. Mostly I prefer cherry because of its rich color. Although I have used walnut, oak, Chinaberry and holly when their color or figure is more appropriate. The metal is usually the last component of the design. Construction of each sculpture is a challenge because no two works are exactly alike and traditional joinery cannot be used.