Exhibition: Mountain Wildwoods, The Resilient Beauty of Juniper Trees by Tom Benedict

Artist Statement: “For centuries, the harshest elements of nature have shaped my selected medium. In the wilds of Montana, the twisted wood of the Rocky Mountain Juniper tree evokes a sense of tortured endurance. These old, dead trees saw the world change around them and lost the tug-of-war with nature somewhere along the way. As I see it, my job as a sculptor is to collect the most compelling subjects and tell the story contained within the wood. I follow the natural flow of each piece as I work to transform the wood, bringing to light a majestic presence that has not been seen in ages. I try to bring the tree back to life in a new form and for a new audience. My goal for a finished work is for its viewers to feel the same sense of fascination, beauty, and humility that I do while viewing live juniper trees in the wild.”
Tom Benedict is a Montana artist and adventurer whose work is fueled by years spent exploring Montana’s wild places, mountain peaks and river bottoms. Tom began working with juniper wood in 2011 as a way to bring new life to the long-dead trees harvested from properties throughout Western Montana. Since then, he has crafted these trees into functional and decorative works of art. His work can be seen in public outdoor spaces, businesses, galleries and homes throughout the Mountain West.