Griffith Evans makes reclaimed wood jewelry with bead or porcelain accents. Inspired by African jewelry and curvilinear wood furniture, he employs industrial fabrication methods to create work that is minimal yet warmly inviting. Evans, who is based in Albuquerque, harvests drought-ravaged trees in northern New Mexico, the most water-stressed state in the country. Climate change has provided materials for his artistry, and by repurposing dying trees, he calls attention to their plight. In addition, he occasionally barters with other woodworkers to obtain their offcuts and scraps. He cuts the wood into thin strips and steams it to make it pliable, then wraps it around custom-built forms; once cured, the piece is shaped by hand and undergoes a multi-step finishing process. In their simplicity, the finished works celebrate the beauty of each piece of wood.
