Twisted Wood with Embedded Rock

Driftwood, 30x34x10, 2024

I am a sculptor transforming found wood into art. As I admire the rich, green life of the Pacific Northwest forest and the abundance of driftwood on ocean shores, I strive to prolong the life of fallen trees. I collect twisted roots and gnarled driftwood and try to reveal their hidden beauty. Some pieces display their potential right away and others spend months or even years in my workshop before I arrive at a concept. Similarly, some take weeks and others much longer to finish. If a piece needs to be mounted, I pay meticulous attention to selecting and crafting the right base to complement my art. I hope my art brings joy and inspires others to see latent possibilities in seemingly ordinary pieces of wood.

Lev Elkin is a driftwood sculptor based in Bellevue, WA. Lev was born in 1948 in Moscow, Russia and graduated from Moscow Telecommunication Institute in 1970. From the age of 16 and until his immigration to the United States at the age of 44, he was a member of the Forest Sculpture Section of the Moscow Nature and Creativity Club. Through the club Lev received instruction from master artists, participated in critiques with fellow members and a professional art critic, and took part in many juried member exhibitions in various venues across Moscow, winning jury and audience awards.

Since his immigration to the United States in 1992, Lev continued to create in his home workshop, expanding his sources to include driftwood so abundant in the Pacific Northwest. Recent retirement allowed him to dedicate more time to his studio practice and seek opportunities to exhibit his art. Lev has participated in the 2022 and 2024 CoCA Member Shows, February and November 2023 Capitol Hill Artwalk at Six of Pikes Studios, and the 2024 and 2025 Environmental Ties group shows at Magnuson Park SPACE Gallery. Lev was interviewed for the 2022 inaugural CoCA publication. He had his first solo show in the Fall of 2024 at the City of Auburn Community and Events Center Gallery.