Artist Statement

That which is slowly becoming
And that which is slowly decaying
Are curiously fascinating.
The strangeness, diversity, and geometry
Of natural design is weird, wonderful, and surprising. 
Extraordinary and unpredictable things appear
Right where you are stepping.
Since we are also a part of this process
It is natural to respond to it, work with it,
And use it as a source of inspiration.
On one hand, reaching for the poetic
With any material seems like the ideal way
To make thoughts visible & physical –
While on the other hand, cutting down a tree
And milling, planing, and gluing it back together
And sculpting it into the form of, say, a canyon or an extinct animal 
May seem questionable – which is to say,
Probably an appropriate process for artmaking. 

About the Artist: ​Terry Rathje grew up in a small town in Eastern Iowa, and largely because of boredom turned to making art at an early age. After a childhood of drawing, he turned to painting, printmaking, and sculpture. After numerous ventures and jobs, including welding, construction, leathersmithing and signpainting, he got a B.A. in Computer Graphics from Marycrest International University in Davenport, where he went on to teach animation before becoming a professor of Graphic Design at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, where he taught animation, graphic design, typography, portfolio development, and digital photography. He has an M.A. and an M.F.A. in 3D Design from the University of Iowa. His main areas of work include assemblage involving words made from recycled letters, sculptural objects, and nomadic architecture- that is, small buildings that can be disassembled and reassembled in a new location and context. He has exhibited in England, Brazil, Portugal, Turkey, Australia, Suriname, and the U.S. , and lives and works along the Wapsipinicon River in Eastern Iowa.

Website: https://www.terryrathje.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terryrathje/