Charles "Mike" Mather

Mike, a self-taught artist, believes his artistic inclination is hereditary, given the presence of numerous artists within his family. However, it was not until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in biology at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, that he began working with wood.  Although he took a photography course during his college years, he developed his woodworking skills solely through trial and error. 

Mike creates both functional and non-functional pieces. Functional items include decorative boxes and weed vases, while non-functional items are mostly sculptures and wall art. He prefers making non-functional work.

Regardless of the items he produces, Mike refrains from purchasing wood. All materials are sourced from salvaged, recycled, gifted, purloined, or otherwise legally or illegally obtained wood. Additionally, he donates all sales of his work to scholarships and the arts.

Once Mike selects a board, log, or other piece of wood to work with, he dedicates time to studying it until an idea for the piece’s intended form emerges. He acknowledges that this process can sometimes span several years. His primary objective is to spend time in his workshop engaging in the enjoyable act of creation.

Raised in Texas, Mike has resided in Oklahoma since 1976 and now identifies as a “Dyed in the wool Oklahoman.”  Over the past four years (2022-24), Mike has exhibited his work in each of the Fancy Firewood Exhibit at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma’s Nesbit Gallery.