Inside a small, Downtown bungalow painted with bright murals is a master showroom. Olympic athletes pose in the windows, formed from wood into fluid strength. Sydney Waithe, their creator, has been woodworking for more than three decades, using only what he calls the "the five colors of man": red, black, white, yellow and brown. Never touching paints or stains, Waithe scours the world for different woods in the unifying colors of his choice.
Referred to by Oprah as "the world's most famous unknown artist," Waithe moved here in July and it didn't take long for his fans to track him down. This winter, a man walked into his showroom and announced he'd be buying Waithe's collection. The man walked away with more than 27 pieces, worth thousands, and the artist went back to the sawing board. "All the trees I use are dead," Waithe says. "I bring them back to life."
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