Process
I think the best art comes from intuition and improvisation. Working from the liminal space between the conscious and unconscious, I create carvings on the artifacts I pull largely from the high desert— the skulls and bones of elk, bison, steer, etc.
Avoiding pre-planning, sketching, or tracing, I work in a meditative flow state, allowing forms to grow organically along the contours of characters that preceded them and along the natural contours of the bone itself.
My work is heavily informed by landscapes and cultural traditions that stand outside of modernity, from ancient petroglyphs to fractal patterns in nature. By stepping out of the way, I work to translate from the collective unconscious a distinct, living typography.
Biography
Born in Texas and raised in Kentucky, Borders graduated from Columbus College of Art and Design in 2009 before moving west to Oregon. Enamored with the high desert, he spent years befriending local ranchers and hunters while exploring the unspoiled terrain that now informs his work.
He recently relocated from rural Washington state to property outside Canton, North Carolina and is currently restoring a log cabin that serves as his new workspace. He maintains a workshop in remote Eastern Oregon, traveling back regularly while balancing his studio practice with playing guitar, shooting guns, and exploring the woods with his young son, wife, and two shepherd dogs.