Wood sculptures are not something new. However, this artist, Jeffro Uitto, who goes by the name “Knock on Wood” on social media, manages to bend wood to his imagination in such a unique way that it does not even begin to compare to others. Using various pieces of wood, mostly found on the beaches in Washington State, USA, Jeffro creatively transforms them into beautiful sculptures that most often depict animals – horses, eagles, rhinos, lions, among many others. On the Washington coast, there’s a place where nature’s leftovers get a second chance at stardom. The place is Knock on Wood, and [I am] the artist making the magic happen.
When starting a sculpture, Uitto has an initial idea of what will be done but adapts as the work progresses. He never knows exactly what will result from his work. Jeffo says that ever since he was a child, he liked collecting wood, especially driftwood that had patterns beaten into them by the waves. Although driftwood is hard, it is almost as if it has emotions of its own that bring inspiration to the artist. Through his unique artworks, the artist wants to emphasize that each object has its own ‘life’. A life that can be conveyed as a work of art.
Most of Jeffro’s tools are handmade by the artist himself, which is often surprising for visitors that stumble across his shop near the historic Tokeland Hotel. However, once you get to know the artist better, you realize that not only are the custom tools not surprising, they are, in fact, expected. It is evident that Jeffro Uitto is an artist who burns hot with an inextinguishable passion for his wood art and his sculptures attest to that.
#1
#2
#4
#5
