Gray Caskey is a fiber artist based in Portland, Oregon. Working predominantly with salvaged materials from the building trades, she transforms these often rusty and worn elements through various surface treatments and techniques, including flocking, weaving, papermaking, folding, woodworking, and small-scale metalwork.
Her current body of work serves as a thread connecting her Kentucky upbringing—steeped in craft traditions—her fascination with discarded building materials, shaped by years spent alongside her father on construction sites, and her exploration of the interconnectedness of natural systems.
Her work is driven by a desire to discover new possibilities and uncover the hidden qualities of the materials at hand. Drawing on her background in design, she employs principles such as alignment, repetition, contrast, hierarchy, and balance. For her, the reflection that comes with repetition is an essential part of the process. Starting with a single element, she builds her pieces like architectural structures, combining and manipulating them in various ways to add depth and movement. Through her work, she reimagines the value of found materials and connects viewers to a broader narrative about societal consumerism and the cycles of creation, decay, and rebirth.