Artist Statement – Linda Dempsey
Exhibiting at This Gallery on 4th

Show runs from August 2, 2025, to September 3, 2025

Art has always been a constant in my life—a way of exploring and expressing the world around me. As a self-taught sculptor, I find my deepest connection through natural materials, especially those shaped by time and the elements.

Since the spring of 2016, my work has centered around driftwood—each piece collected from the shores of Lake Erie, where I live. I’m drawn to the lake’s edge, where the water offers up its gifts. The driftwood carries a story: once part of a living tree, it has broken away, tumbled through rivers and waves, and transformed on its journey to the shore. That transformation speaks to me deeply.

To me, trees symbolize strength, resilience, beauty, and life. I see those same qualities in the driftwood—weathered, enduring, and full of character. My role is to guide these pieces into their next evolution, listening to what they want to become. There’s a relationship in the process between the wood, myself, and the movement that emerges in form. Dance and motion often influence my work, creating a sense of flow and presence.

Showing this work at This Gallery on 4th is an opportunity to share these pieces in a space that values contemporary creativity and connection. My hope is that you find a moment of pause, peace, and resonance in these sculptures—that something within them feels both familiar and alive.