John Grade

John Grade is a sculptor from Seattle, WA. He works in a variety of materials including wood, plastics, rubber, etc., making organic forms on a variety of scales. He begins in the studio, where he crafts the initial form, then he takes the piece and leaves it exposed in nature for some time, where it is transformed by the environment. In this way, natural decay and weathering become prevalent themes in his work. The element of chance that this process brings is also important. The artist isn't completely in control of the final product. The natural environment completes the work.

       For example, "Collector", which was displayed for a time at our very own Hallie Ford, consisted of a lattice-framed ring made out of wood which he initially submerged in Puget Sound where in collected barnacles and seaweed, then took to the Utah desert to get baked by the sun.

       Similarly, "Fold", an undulating circular structure made out of wood and resin, is currently buried in Idaho where the termites are having their way with it. 

       He is currently embarking on a project to resurrect pieces of the Wawona, an old schooner that has been rotting into Lake Union in Seattle for a number of years. He plans to carve them, then assemble then into a tree-like vertical tower.

John's Website
A great article from the Seattle Times