Self-taught artist James Castle used unconventional materials to create deeply personal drawings, collages, and sculptures. Born deaf and with limited means of communication, Castle developed an acute visual awareness and interacted with the world around him through art. He collected materials from his family’s home in rural Idaho to make his art, including envelopes, matchbooks, packaging, and discarded paper. On these found surfaces, Castle used sharpened sticks, soot from his stove, and saliva to create detailed drawings with careful shading and tone. Though mostly unknown until later in his life, Castle’s work has gained wider recognition for its intimate, often poignant depictions of the everyday.

–Philip Batler, from the Glenstone Field Guide