Wheelwright Shaping Wooden Rim Midmorning

Bright midmorning light floods the outdoor workshop near Des Moines, illuminating dust motes suspended in the crisp, high-altitude air. A wheelwright stands focused, hands gripping a drawknife against a curved wooden rim resting on a sturdy workbench. The wood grain runs deep and rough, against the smooth, planed sections where the tool has already passed. Wind whips through the open space, fluttering the worker's shirt and stirring loose shavings across the sawdust-covered ground. In the background, a red barn and green fields stretch toward the horizon under a vast, pale blue sky. The worker's shadow falls sharply to the left, defining the angle of the sun. A curl of fresh wood shavings rests on the edge of the workbench, catching the light.