John “Jack” Morford is a sculptor who uses his sculptures to create visual parodies of the human condition. He categories his work as “whimsically abstract pieces. He grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. After high school, Jack attended The Art Institute of Chicago. He later studied art again at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, and completed a Master of Fine Arts Degree at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, California. Jack spent a lifetime participating in juried shows, art fairs, being represented by galleries, as well as commissioning work. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 75.

This work is “An ode to the hands and lives of those who preserved the written word.”

“My works are primarily figurative and whimsical with some playing on a subtle scene of sarcasm. My ideas are sparked simply by a nuance, by how a person is standing, or by a gesture that someone makes. I am able to build from that one instance a more elaborate image. As I form the piece, I add to it ideas that grow out of a process of free thinking, dredging up goo from my subconscious, but it always begins with the intrigue of the form. Over the years, as I have sharpened my own artistic voice, I have learned to see how it connects with the viewer. At art fairs, as crowds of people pass by booth after booth with stony, expressionless faces, I witness a countenance change when they approach my booth. Their expressions transform to a lighter mood; an act of engagement. What’s different about mine? Perhaps they recognize their own experience or perspective on life. Perhaps they see something entirely new and appreciate the out-of-the-box view I lend them. That’s why I enjoy creating whimsically abstract pieces, to give a touch of the real world, while at the same time taking them out of it and into their imagination and dreams.”