Ian Madin
Ian Madin Artist’s Statement
Over a long career as a field geologist, I have spent a lot of *me looking at rocks. I have always
been intrigued by the shapes, colors and textures that pieces of stone develop in the wild, and
the contrast with the fresh rock within. The first thing a geologist does when encountering a
new rock is to break it with a hammer to see what the inside looks like, and I love the moment
of discovery that it brings. .
For my stone sculpture, I look for pieces that have been naturally quarried by water, gravity and
*me, and that have unique shapes and beautiful patinas. I shape and polish select surfaces, to
open a window into the fresh interior, and to develop tension with the ancient natural
surfaces. Much of my current work uses prismatically jointed basalt from the Columbia River
Gorge, which combines elegant curves with smooth planes and crisp edges. The natural
surfaces are painted with earth tones and patterns in iron oxide, which contrast with the dark
polished surfaces. I also work with stones like rhyolite and welded tuff, which are common in
Eastern Oregon and have a wide range of colors and textures
My work focuses on stones as individual en**es, not raw materials. I select pieces that have
unique shapes, textures and patinas, which have resulted from the inconceivably long and
unique journey each takes from its forma*on in the depths of *me to the ditch beside the
highway where I pick it up. The stones are travelers from deep *me, an alien universe that exists
right beside us, but which we can neither access nor truly comprehend. It gives me great
pleasure to interact with these pieces in my studio, adding a new chapter to their story, and
trying to better understand my place in the universe.
Ian Madin Bio
I am a retired geologist who has taken up stone sculpture over the last 8 years. I have Bs and Ms degrees in geology and no formal art education. My studio is at my home in Lake Oswego, Oregon and I work with native Oregon stones collected across the state.
To date I have participated in Portland Open Studios, Lake Oswego Open Studios, The Wild Arts Festival, Cascadia Fine Arts Festival and Wilsonville Festival of the arts. I have exhibited my work at the premieres of two Oregon Origins music productions, at the Reser Theater in Beaverton (https://www.oregonorigins.org/events/oregon-origins-project-vi) and at Reed College (https://www.oregonorigins.org/events/oregon-origins-project-ii) . I am preparing a year-long special exhibit at the rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro. In 2026 I will be showing my work with the Portland Art Collective in August, Lake Oswego Open Studios in September, Local 14 exhibit in October and the Wild Arts Festival in December.
I am currently the President of the Board for the arts organization “Oregon Origins” and on the board for the Playa at Summer Lake artists residency program, and a member of the Advisory Board for the OSU College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences.
Contact email: ian@madins.org
Artist Website:
https://www.wildstones.art/
