The free exhibit, which is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Programs, opened on Oct. 17 and will run through Nov. 20. 

According to Tindongan, an Albany, Ohio, resident, the artwork was created to "respect and celebrate the temporal and spatial relationship between humans and their habitat -- mother earth." 

Tindongan said he began working with wood at 8 years old in his hometown, Banaue, Phillipines. His artwork now incorporates the indigenous culture and traditions of his Ifugao tribe from the Province of Ifugao. All of his creations are from various types and sizes of wood that are shaped from natural forces that follow the Yin/Yan principle. 

"Art is to be looked at and appreciated, and my hope is that people receive meaning from my work when they see it," Tindongan said. "I know people look at things differently and not everyone may connect with every piece of art or even like it, but that's what I want, I appreciate their feedback."

Tindogan came to the Athens area in 1992 to attend Ohio University and has earned master's degrees in international affairs and geography. In addition to being an artist, Tindongan also serves as a Tai Chi instructor and is a former wood carving instructor at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio.

He and his wife, Cynthia, have a daughter Joannah, who is a freshman at Ohio University.