Benjamin Malay

Benjamin Malay
Seattle, Washington, USA

STATEMENT

I assemble discarded materials and found objects to make reverent three-dimensional art. Inspired by wooden sewing machine drawers, fishing tackle, vintage glass, old first-aid kits, auto repair manuals
and maps, my work includes a tribute to my grandfather, an appliance repairman and tropical fish enthusiast. Peering through the blue-green slide projector lens to the fishing lure beneath, I picture
him tending tanks in his backyard greenhouse Saturday afternoons. Self-reliant creativity is my family’s legacy. In rural northeastern Washington State, my parents built a cabin with timbers salvaged from an abandoned homestead. We hauled water from a nearby creek, cooked on a wood stove and read by kerosene lantern. My father taught me to reclaim rusty nails, unbraid a rug for winter insulation, and dig a well by hand. My work is an homage to his short and complex life.

BIO

Benjamin Malay is a self-taught artist who works in a variety of mediums to create deeply personal images of people and places, embracing imperfect memory and fleeting life. Influenced by patterns of the natural world, he is most inspired by the spontaneous use of available materials. He is the sole proprietor of a fine art framing business in Seattle, Washington.

ARTIST CONTACT

[click to email]
(206) 322-0997
www.benjaminmalay.com

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