Later, being a Latvian exile because of the Soviet occupation of Latvia, I studied at the Royal Academy for Fine Art in Copenhagen in Denmark. I learned drawing, design and a deep respect for nature and material and the importance of utility and beauty in craft - especially in ceramics.

At the Edinburgh College of Art I studied sculpture and learned to appreciate the glaring differences between the real classical and neo-classical achievements.

I also settled in Scotland near Edinburgh and bought and renovated two derelict stone cottages into a house and studio and planted many trees, bushes and flowers to make a large garden out of my acre of land. I am retired now, but after having taught both secondary schol pupils and adults, I still have ten students coming to my studio.

I believe that the works of art alone determine the value of art. A 20,000 years old cave painting, like the other remains of genuine art, craft and architecture, possesses the eternal quality of cultural variety, makers' skills and simplicity. There I can feel and imagine sweat and blood, wine and honey of the previous generations - so long ago - and the blisters on the hands of those carvers and builders. One can see the craftspeoples' original, individual and artistic handwriting - in the toolmarks, methods and composition. Nothing of it exists in the mathematical, effortless, dead and "perfect" machine beauty of today.

As an artist I became less interested in the well known classical European art and the modern trends but turned to the achievements of the more archaic and earlier artists, craftspeople and builders, such as: the Stone Age Ice period cave dwellers, the early Chinese and Indians, Africans, Aborigines, Maoris, Incas, Mayas, Aztecs, Scythians, Picts, Scandinavians, Balts and others.

In our world of globalisation, mass-production, advertising and commercial mass-entertainment sub-cult and media circus, the artist has to be very strong, even obsessed, in order to preserve his or her individuality, beliefs and integrity. Only then can he go his own way.

I always believe in variety - not in endless repetition. To me each work should be different and have its own soul and unique characteristics. Wood is one of the most organic and varied substances - it has the most beautiful colours and grain patterns but only a master of his or her craft will know how to find, store, season a trunk of wood and how to saw, split, cut and carve it into a piece of sculpture - a work of art.

While carving stone we mainly split off chips and grind the surfaces smoother instead of cutting off - as in woodcarving. But, like wood, stone also has both colour and grain - determined by melting and cooling processes milllions of years ago.