CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Deputy Dwayne Gosnell has been protecting the streets of Catawba County for 13 years.

What You Need To Know

Wood carving is an important part of folk culture

It is a skill that is passed down to many generations

Dwayne Gosnell was inducted into the Caricature Carvers of America

"Law enforcement is a calling for me. It's a passion. I feel like if I can help someone, that's what I've been put here for," Gosnell said.

But he also has another calling, which is a passion that began simply by a walk in the woods. It's a journey guided by the grain in the wood.

It began with a simple pocket knife and his desire to find the character in the heart of the wood. Sometimes it's a baseball player and others, an ostrich.

"I will sit and just enjoy the journey. I will start shaping the nose by removing the wood on each side of the face," Gosnell said.

It's a skill that builds on generations of Carolina carvers, men and women who honed their craft and laid the path for today's artists. 

"If one man can reach many, many of us can reach everyone," Gosnell said.