Master root sculptor Ralph Griffin created birds, animals, and human portraits when they were indicated to him by his materials. With a highly controlled minimum of artistic addition and a significant quantity of aesthetic restraint, Griffins roots, driftwood and other found woods bear likenesses of amazing strength, power and familiarity to the viewer. In Business Man, a bold portrayal of a man in a bright white hat with mustache, goatee, and bright white teeth fully displayed, Griffin has taken a piece of wood that seems to have been untreated by the artist prior to painting. The expressive portrait allows the viewers to draw their own conclusions about the character of the subject.
