The Rossing Mill
Original, signed woodblock print. Limited edition of 3.
43” x 24” (block), 49.5” x 31” (framed)
Printed on acid free, hand-torn archival masa paper
1 remaining unframed print ($1,000).
The framed print shown in the pictures is also available for sale. Inquire for pricing and more information!
Original, signed woodblock print. Limited edition of 3.
43” x 24” (block), 49.5” x 31” (framed)
Printed on acid free, hand-torn archival masa paper
1 remaining unframed print ($1,000).
The framed print shown in the pictures is also available for sale. Inquire for pricing and more information!
Original, signed woodblock print. Limited edition of 3.
43” x 24” (block), 49.5” x 31” (framed)
Printed on acid free, hand-torn archival masa paper
1 remaining unframed print ($1,000).
The framed print shown in the pictures is also available for sale. Inquire for pricing and more information!
This limited-edition woodblock print portrays the pulpwood peeling mill and woodyard that once stood in the town of Spruce in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, circa 1919. This piece was hand-carved into plywood made from cherry (a native Appalachian hardwood) and printed on a custom, large-scale etching press.
One of the three copies is on permanent display in the Tygart Hotel in Elkins, West Virginia
Why Spruce?
In 2023 I was selected as one of five artists to make commissioned pieces for the newly redeveloped Tygart Hotel in Elkins, West Virginia. As part of the Lost Towns of the Mon art installation, I made two large woodblock prints focused on the ghost town of Spruce.
Once known as the highest and coldest town east of the Mississippi, Spruce was dominated by its rossing mill, which processed spruce trees for the region’s paper industry. The town only existed from 1904 to 1926, and nothing but a few foundation stones remain.
Today Spruce is tied to the growing outdoor recreation movement unfolding throughout the region. Visitors can now bike through the empty valley where the town once stood. The world’s top mountain bikers rode straight through Spruce as part of the first UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championship held at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in 2024.
Through my professional work, I’ve been closely involved in some of the major trail development within the Snowshoe Highlands Ride Center. I spend a lot of time thinking about what came before and what lies ahead for this region, and this haunting scene of the Spruce rossing mill is woven into that complex picture.