Artists Statement
In my culture historically, intersex individuals were the shamans, the healers, the culture bearers, and the keepers of the ways. The ways of light and dark, of season and tide. The ways of birth and death, of women, and of men - the two-spirits. These individuals inherently walk on both sides of the veil. Declared dead in a vehicle accident in 1999, returned to speak, teach and live the ways. College educated, I am a lifelong student of medicine, art therapy, the esoteric and traditional mystical arts: I hold my garden in reverence. Through my art I labor to nurture and enable life, heal wounds, and return balance to the imperfect self. I choose a life of both beauty and strength.
And so, in my practice I use reclaimed materials, specifically reclaimed timbers when possible. These are timbers that once gave a structural sense of strength, utility, and rigid masculine structure. Using the hand tools lovingly handed down to me, I labor patiently, with chisel, mallet and knife to tease out the feminine nature within, exposing a surreal and evocative form where once it was rough and unrefined.
At the heart of my work is a belief that was patiently nurtured and taught to me by my grandmother: balanced representation matters. As a Sugpiaq artist and as an intersex woman, I have chosen to devote my life to capturing the whimsical, hidden, and mystical nature of my life - one rarely seen by others. The esoterica I create is true, potent, and raised using the ways bequeathed to me by her. My body and its work are living portals of peace and transition, designed to guide others seeking their own inner balance and alignment, while carrying the divine light into the divine darkness.
Professional Biography
Material Palette & Finishes: Primary studio mediums include Western Red Cedar, White Pine, and Birch.
Secondary materials feature Black Walnut, White Oak, Hard Maple, Philippine mahogany, Fir, Hemlock, Poplar, Willow, and Basswood. Though not inclusive the artist also works in a broad range of select metals, organic materials, stone, glass, oils and finishes. All wood and organic elements are properly dried, seasoned, and moisture-sealed to mitigate checking, splitting, or warping under modern HVAC systems or global humidity fluctuations.
Tactile and Sensory Benefits: Sculptures purposefully retain distinct, deliberate hand-carved chisel facets. These textured surfaces scatter ambient lighting beautifully and encourage mindful tactile grounding, pulling hyper-stimulated minds away from digital screens and back into real-world physical presence.
Ember Ziv is a contemporary Sugpiaq sculptor and the founder of Ember Ziv Fine Arts. Specializing in highly detailed, figurative wood relief carvings and multidimensional narrative sculptures, Ziv’s practice bridges ancestral spiritual traditions with a stark, modern aesthetic optimized for therapeutic, hospitality, and luxury environments.
Central to Ziv’s work is a profound exploration of identity, representation and transformation. Historically within her culture, intersex individuals—the two-spirits—held sacred roles as shamans, healers, and culture bearers capable of navigating both sides of the veil. Trained in these sacred traditions, Ziv wields modern and inherited tools to give a face, voice, and divine light to aspects of society often marginalized by historical oversight.
Due to the transformative nature of her work, Ziv has historically maintained a select group of confidential clientele. Her work can be found gracing those private collections in estates spanning the globe. Now beginning a new chapter in life, she has now chosen to offer her work publicly in the furtherance of understanding and healing.
Her studio process relies heavily on material transformation, utilizing a mix of reclaimed architectural timbers, ocean-seasoned driftwood, and found materials. By taking materials that once exuded rigid, masculine utility and painstakingly carving fluid, anatomically precise feminine forms into the grain, Ziv manifests a deeply evocative tension between structure and grace. Her work is masterfully scaled, sensory-grounding, and meticulously treated to meet archival standards for luxury wellness retreats, international hospitality projects, and prominent public collections worldwide.
Peace of Mind
All works come standard with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) ,signed and by the artist, maintained by catalogued by: Ember Ziv Fine Arts.
International Commission Blueprint: Formulated workflows encompass scaled sketches/maquettes for interior decorator sign-off, high-definition video milestone asset packages, and full door-to-door coordination via custom ISPM-15 certified international export timber crates.
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