Artist Profile: Daryl Stokes

I’m loving that I’ve had three Mondays in a row with artist profiles, hopefully I can keep it up. I love reading the responses to my questions, and seeing how each artist’s identity emerges so uniquely from any other artist. Here is a profile of Daryl Stokes, a redwood sculptor who’s been working with that specific medium for 30 years. Daryl Stokes makes these lovely abstract sculptures from found redwood displaced by fires or floods. You can really see the love and wisdom he puts into his work in these images.

What do you love about your medium?
I work with natural redwood burls and root materials and what I love most is that they are all unique. It has been a constant challenge and inspiration to create sculptures and furniture designs with random materials such as these. It is a combination of utilizing natural forms and visualizing what can be created from such forms in a way that is aesthetically rewarding.

Daryl Stokes Sculpture 1

Describe a piece of artwork that you find superficial or boring.
I create types of abstract expressionistic wood sculptures and for that matter I have not been excited by many types of realistic works such as seascapes or or portraits, depending on how they have been executed.

When did you first call yourself an artist, and why?
I have been an artist ever since I was in junior high school and that’s when I discovered that I had a talent and that it eventually became an integral part of my mental well being.

Describe a piece of art and/or an artist that you find consistently inspiring.
I have always been drawn to surrealistic artists such as Jim Warren and I am constantly fascinated by their approach to creating realistic objects in abstract settings. I have attempted to translate some of the surrealistic aspects into my sculptures such as transitional effects where gnarled wood forms have transitions into crisp geometric counterparts.

Daryl Stokes Sculpture 2

What is your unique purpose for creating work?
My art is my passion and allows me to express my inner consciousness to the best of my abilities more so than anything else I could do aside from dancing.

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