River & Timber

A fire crackles in the wood stove of the studio. With the flip of a switch, the ventilation system clicks on, followed by the whirring of the rotary tool. We are in the studio of Jason Borders, a Pacific Northwest-based artist who has carved his way from sidewalk sales to numerous galleries around the country.

As the coyote skull is incised, I realize that there are no sketches to follow, no stencils drawn, no graphite marks to erase. The hand guides the tool, while the subconscious seems to be guiding the hand. To call it a trance would imply no control, and the harmony of the designs in the finished product is elemental — I’m unsure what to call it, and that’s fine.

Come see for yourself.

To learn more about, or support Jason Borders and his work, visit him here.