Drifting Into Sculptures

ARTISAN TINA MILISAVLJEVISCH

BY CRAIG COUILLARD

Have you ever picked up a piece of driftwood along a water’s edge and thought, “That looks like a dog … a boomerang … or a heart?” Maybe you even carried it home and added it to your flowerbed.

In 2017, pen and ink artist Tina Milisavljevisch of Big Fork, Montana, stumbled across a large piece of driftwood on a lake beach and with her artist’s eye, she saw the head of a horse. That 20-inch piece of wood would form the basis of a large driftwood horse sculpture. The piece immediately sold, and Tina decided to pursue driftwood sculpturing full-time.

Tina credits her Dad for giving her the foundation to be an artist. “Dad could build anything with his crude tools and good old-fashioned ingenuity. He was always showing us how to work with our hands.”

When starting a large sculpture, she visualizes the anatomy and muscle structure, placing each piece of driftwood and metal accordingly.

“Each sculpture starts with a single piece of wood that serves as the inspiration for my work. From there, I keep going back, looking for specific sizes and shapes of driftwood to complete my piece. It’s very much like a jigsaw puzzle; I’m always learning something new with each piece.”

She’s also inspired by old car parts that she incorporates into her sculptures. “Vintage car hoods, fenders, and chrome are re-purposed to accessorize my art. They add texture, depth and colour as well as helping to strengthen my sculptures.”

You will also notice that there are also subtle indigenous components. “I love the artistry and connection between man and animal. I use these elements as a splash of colour to add interest to each piece.”

Her life-size buffalo was prominently featured in the Great Western Art Show lobby entrance in Great Falls, Montana in 2022. Says Tina, “It generally takes me two to three months to build a life-size sculpture. Moose seem to be popular right now.”

So where does she find her raw material? “I have a few favourite places where I go to collect driftwood,” says Tina. “But they are a closely guarded secret,” she smiles. She and her husband often go on horse pack trips, and she invariably brings home more material. She finds lake beach driftwood the best material as the continuous lapping of the waves polishes the wood.

So, the next time you stumble across a piece of wood that looks like a bird, you might think twice before pitching it into your campfire.

To see more of Tina’s incredible sculptures, visit her artists' gallery website at TinasWildlifeArt.net