Richard Cornelius calls it functional art. He hand carves wood to accentuate peoples homes.

In 1994, Richard Cornelius decided to take a big left turn. He was tired of traveling from Montana to New Mexico as a field archaeologist. So the life-long artist started hand-carving wood, and 14years later, he's honed his craft and gotten so good he doesn't even make mistakes.

"A mistake can be a happy accident," said Richard Cornelius, Carving Since 1994.

In woodworking, happy accidents create originality.

"You make it work and the carving is the better for it," Cornelius said.

Cornelius works alone, carving out classics.

"The main thing I like about wood carving is moving the material, the action of making that would submit to what you want to do," he said.

This is door is number 175 on the all-time charts, but to Cornelius, it's not just a door. To the man with the vision, it is so much more.

"A door is a portal into the house and it's a portal into somebody's life," he said.

And just who is that somebody? This piece of functional art helps tell the story.

"You come up to somebody's door and you may not notice it, it may be just another slab of wood blockin' that hole swingin' on hinges in the wind, but if it's a decorative door, maybe it's carved, maybe it's painted, you may notice it and give you an idea who lives behind this door. It's an entry into their life, literally," he said.

Doors make up the majority of Cornelius's sales, but he also creates matching mantles as well.

"I might carve four or five mantles a year, and hopefully 17 to 25 doors a year," he said.

The first door Cornelius carved 14 years ago is an original, just like the 174 doors that followed it.

"I'm not interested in duplicating something I've done in the past. I want to make it different. I want to make it better than the last one," he said.

And his customers appreciate that. That's why they are willing to pay $3,000 and up, and everything is paid for in advance.

"It is sold before I start working and that takes a lot of the pressure off the artist."

After two full weeks of carving, it's all about that sweet feeling of fulfillment as the finished door heads out to it's new owner.

"I get a great amount of satisfaction out of the finished product and realizing that that turned out as well as I could do it at this time," he said. "That door goes out hopefully lives a good life in a good spot, and that's my legacy."

Cornelius said he enjoys the benefits of being his own boss. His time in the shop can vary greatly from day to day. He can work anywhere from a frustrating two hours to a fulfilling 12 hours -- whatever it takes to get the job done right.

Fore more information about the doors, click here.