Seattle wood artist carving a wooden sculpture with a power drill at Colman Park in 2021, wearing a hoodie and sunglasses, close-up of detailed woodworking process.
Edwin Fountain carving found wood on the back of his pickup truck at Colman Park beach in 2021.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Edwin Fountain, the Wood Sculptor of Mount Baker, Carves New Life Into Fallen Branches and Tree Stumps

You'll find his prolific carvings all around the shores of south Lake Washington.
Published on
4 min read

On any random day at Colman Park beach or maybe somewhere along the shores of Lake Washington, you might find Edwin Fountain patiently carving life into a weathered stump or forgotten tree branch. The Alabama-born artist, now a well-known and loved fixture in Seattle's parks, approaches woodcarving with the quiet intensity of someone who understands that wood speaks its own language. Talking about a fallen madrona limb, he describes his process. "I've been looking at it, rubbing on it," he says about his process. "And you ready?" he asks the wood. "She's ready." For Fountain, this isn't just art, it's a conversation with the material itself, one that began decades ago in the rural landscapes of his youth.

Hand-carved wooden sculptures of human faces made from tree trunks, displayed in a Seattle park with lush greenery in the background.
A series of Edwin Fountain carvings decorate a fallen tree on Lakeside Avenue South near Colman Park beach.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Fountain's artistic journey started in Burnt Corn, Alabama, where his grandfather served as both mentor and moral compass, teaching practical skills with philosophical depth. "My grandfather told me something that was very important," Fountain recalls. "You don't want to make a living at art, you've got skills to make a living. Use your skills. Do your art for love."

These lessons took physical form when his grandfather would hand him tools with challenging instructions: "He'd hand me a toolbox, point to the tractor, and say, 'Take it apart.' Next day, same thing: 'Now put it back together.'" This training in patience and problem-solving became the foundation for his artistic practice.

Hand-carved wood sculptures by Edwin Fountain, Mount Baker artist, showcasing abstract and figurative forms in natural cedar at an outdoor art fair.
A series of figure carvings by Edwin Fountain on display at the Mount Baker Summer Festival on June 21, 2025.(Photo: Alex Garland)

After leaving Alabama at 18, Fountain's hunger for artistic growth took him to Los Angeles, where he studied figure drawing and ceramics. But it was the wood he found that truly spoke to him. "Found wood is seasoned and it's dried to its natural crack," he explains. "Pressed wood, when you buy it, and you take it and you mill it, it doesn't crack the same." His preference for materials that have lived a life reflects his own philosophy, that true beauty emerges from experience and resilience.

Hand-carved cedar root sculpture titled "Rooted in Wisdom" by Mount Baker wood artist, featuring a detailed face design, priced at $600.
A figure carving in an old piece of cedar wood. Seasoned pieces of wood like this bring out gold colors in the carving.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Fountain's toolbox is specific — Milwaukee power tools are preferred: "They have four different sizes of chainsaws that are good for sculpture." Dremels, axes, and grinders all work in harmony, allowing the wood itself to guide him. His favorite medium, madrona, reveals its secrets slowly: "Madrona is the hardest wood I've found so far … if you find one that's older, you might get the gold. And when I say gold, I mean anything you carve in it is gold. No paint, just clear stain, and it turns gold."

Local Seattle artist with a beaded beard holds a carved wooden sculpture, smiling at an outdoor art market surrounded by green trees.
Edwin Fountain holds one of his favorite pieces displayed at the Mount Baker Summer Festival at Hunter Boulevard park on June 12, 2025.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Since moving to Seattle to raise a family, Fountain has become something of a local legend, with his sculptures dotting parks from Mount Baker to areas further south, including a few located in Seward Park. The interactions with community members, especially children, fuel his creative spirit. "Having a 5-year-old explain a piece of art to you is the most insane thing you want to experience. Now, that's appreciation," he says, recalling one boy who "stood there at least 10 minutes" describing a sculpture to his initially hesitant father. "A 5-year-old … they're paying more attention to everything going on around you than you are."

Tall wood sculpture with a carved face near Lake Washington in Seattle, surrounded by logs, trees, and waterfront views on a cloudy day.
Stumps and fallen limbs provide Edwin Fountain with ample canvases for his wood carving. This specific piece has become a PokéStop on the mobile game Pokémon Go.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Despite limited recognition from traditional art institutions, Fountain stays true to his path. "I never tried to get it recognized," he says with quiet determination. "It was a gift that I have and something that I enjoy." His artistic philosophy is refreshingly straightforward: "I try to create something that everybody's gonna like."

Tree stump sculpture featuring carved human faces in a Seattle park.
A series of faces carved by Edwin Fountain greet parkgoers along the trail at Mount Baker Park.(Photo: Alex Garland)

Although a tiny collection of his works was for sale at the Mount Baker Summer Festival in Hunter Boulevard park on June 21, he's not sure when they will be on display again. You can view his work at @eds_artrevised on Instagram.

For those lucky enough to encounter Fountain at work in Seattle's parks, he offers a simple invitation: "Enjoy it … if you see me out carving, say hello!" It's this openness, this willingness to share not just his art but his process, that makes Edwin Fountain's work truly special.

Edwin Fountain, Mount Baker wood sculptor, standing proudly at his outdoor booth showcasing unique hand-carved wood sculptures at an art fair.
Edwin Fountain, the wood sculptor of Mount Baker, at the Mount Baker Summer Festival in Hunter Boulevard park.(Photo: Alex Garland)

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