Artists celebrate freedom from stress

With their dream home in East Texas as their headquarters, Micah and Carol McKinney are surrounded by family and big shade trees. The house, updated and decorated in the “hippie- chic” style, has been in the family for at least a century. Here, in the woods of Cass, Texas, is a perfect setting for their eclectic career choice.

As a matter of fact, the woods are the biggest part of that career. Micah chops his own trees, cuts up the rough lumber and turns it into art.

Using techniques and various woodworking tools, Micah transforms trees into intricate carvings of bears, rabbits and eagles. After sanding, burning and poly-coating, some of them are painted by Carol, some are left bare. All of them end up selling quickly.

The McKinney’s have travelled to art shows and markets all over the country, and on November 5, 2022, you can see them at the Cullen Baker Country Fair. Micah will be carving a bear, complete with intricately carved fur and claws, while onlookers watch.

Their home is full of carvings by Micah, of course, but his wife Carol is the owner. Her craft needs are met also by things she has made and specialty materials she uses...earrings, leather, suede, and vintage bleached flannels.

Before the couple moved to Cass, they lived near Chandler, Texas, just outside of Tyler. For 25 years Micah worked as a home automation technician. He installed home theater systems. In this job he dealt with whole house audio and surround sound, in other words...smart home technology.

But Carol McKinney won’t get to watch Micah at the fair. She will be operating her own booth. While working in corporate America, she held different jobs in office administration. In May of 2022, the couple sold their home and moved here.

Today this lovely couple is free to do their arts and crafts any old time they please. Describing their lives, they mentioned the freedom of it all and how what they do is a such a great stress reliever.

And they now have plenty time to do it.