About the Artist

South Tampa artist makes quilts, but not the kind that you'd like to snugle into. During the past 14 years he has carved 29 wooden quilts, including Martha'sEscalator (previous page), from blocks of basswood about 5 by 31/2 foot wide and 4 inches thick. Each piece takes three to six months to complete. He begins at a computer, where he designs his patterns. | arid finishes each quilt by staining it with color. Smith has sold more than two dozen of his hand-carved creations, each weighing 80 to 120 pounds and ranging in price from $16,000 to $30,000. For more images of his art—including wooden T-shirts, coats and liars—so to www.gofrasoi.com.