"There are stories within each found object that I work with or piece of wood that I carve, whispered conversations and forest sounds. Each material has a memory etched into it by time and weather. I dip my finger into that well of stories and try to pull out the essence."
Each year Arizona based artist Elizabeth Frank travels to the mountains of the Southwestern United States to gather fallen aspen wood. She dries the wood in a room on her studio roof. Once dry she cuts the rough logs on a band saw then shapes them with a belt sander, hand and power tools. The carved forms are combined with found materials such as reclaimed wood and antique tin. The surfaces are painted with acrylic and finished with wax.
Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Arizona State University. She continued her education with studies in Spanish and sculpture in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, tinsmithing in New Mexico, and private instruction in torch forming glass. Her love of found things was sparked while working in the film industry where she was often hired to locate items for set decoration.
Elizabeth's artwork has been featured in books, magazines, television and film. She's honored to have it included in collections all around the world.