MARK MESLOH
ARTIST STATEMENT
“My art direction is defined by a love of the natural world and a reluctance to see wood wasted – thrown away. To me every piece of wood that is discarded is an insult to one of the most majestic of earth’s creatures – the tree. I use as much repurposed wood as possible, wood that I’ve salvaged from old buildings, that was left over from previous projects and found on hikes in a forest or along a river. Many times, people have called me to offer wood from some remodeling or project that they are discarding, and I almost always pick through it for usable product.
The works will take you on a journey through the wonder of a mountain pass, a forest, or a garden setting. My art will take you to a place of peace and inspiration, following a garden path surrounding by items that emulate the trees, rocks, monuments you would find. That place could be a hike in a mountain range with the wide-open sky above you.
It’s also my intent to encourage others to connect and energize with nature. To use my art to represent the exploration and the energizing force of the natural world. To remind oneself of the spirit and imagination that can be realized by a close relationship with nature. Many artists call to a muse for inspiration, so I would have to say that my muse is Mother Earth. At the beginning of each piece, including the geometric designs, I bring to mind the excitement and joy of rising to the top of a mountain to see over the vast landscape below me, the wonder of hiking through a desert canyon for the first time with the walls rising up beside me, and, above all, the beauty and awe realized on a walk through a forest, surrounded by trees, sharing with me their ageless strength and wisdom. It is an opening to the center of my being and the soulful side of life.
I can only hope that the viewer can feel the inspiration and connection that I feel as I build each work of art. “ -Mark Mesloh
