Seattle’s James W. Washington Jr. was a stone carver who sought to reveal spiritual forces in the physical realm. His roughly hewn and symbol-studded stone altars, hatching
birds, sacrificial lambs and marble reliefs are guides to higher
ground. He was drawn to life that is on the point of coming into being or making
a breakthrough, not only the birds for which he’s best known,
but also snakes ready to squirm out of their coils, sperm swimming
across a marble relief to a radiant egg, and human figures caught in
the moment of enlightenment. Each chiseled stroke echos the New Testament promise, that every hair of the head is counted.
A survey of smaller sculptures is at Woodside/Braseth Gallery through Dec. 31..
Washington was 91 when he died in 2000, having proved to be a fiercer artist in his old age than in his youth. In his 80s, his work became bigger and more brilliantly festooned. In places he painted his stones with colored encaustic and set his symbols of ancient life flowing across the surface, as if the stone were supple and easily yielding to his chisel.
Washington:
I visualize the subject within and feel it out as I go. I
am the medium, just like copper wire is the medium for the current of
electricity turning on a light bulb.I was speaking with some ministers a few years back. There were preachers of all things. I asked, how many of you
can tell me how many times you’ve drunk your own bath water? Life goes
in cycles. The last breath of a minister may turn out to be the first
breath of a pig. Life exists and continues. It uses everything.
I’m not familiar with his work but this makes me want to be – that show looks great.
The sculpture shown above reminds me of Gretchen Bennett’s Fawn.
I like everything about his work but the God part. God, I’m sick of the God thing. Even this artist’s eloquent work leaves me cold because of its God roots. Imagine no religion. I’m there.