At Gnarly by Nature we use only the finest, most unusual materials that mother nature has to offer. All one of a kind, we know that your purchase will be a family heirloom for many years to come.
The Gnarly by Nature Story...
Since the 1940's, Orean Barney, (my father), roamed the deserts and mountains of Utah in search of Uranium for the U.S. Department of Energy. Most of his prospecting took him to areas where he grew up near the town of Escalante, (Escahoopee to the locals). While in search of Uranium, he found and collected all types of different rocks, minerals, and fossils. As most of the areas had to be hiked to, most of the wonders he found had to be left. Upon the discovery of Uranium at what he chose to call the "Lone B mines", he was able to build roads into what is known as the Circle Cliffs. When I was born in 1956, dear old dad all ready had a thriving Rockshop known as "Barney's Rocks and Fossils". It was only natural that I follow in his footsteps. We expanded on the business by bringing home all types of natural deadwood, (i.e.), twisted Utah Juniper, Pinyon Pine, Mountain Mahogoney, and driftwoods from the ancient dry washbeds near the Escalante River. Upon his death in 2000, I chose to carry on the business, making the annual sojourn to Quartzsite and Tuscon Arizona to the rock and fossil extravaganzas.
Although my family and I may be at home working on the "pieces" that we sell each year, our hearts and minds are always in Utah's faraway, lonely, and often desolate places. Where our company is the wind, the stars, and the distant memories of days gone by...maybe better days.
