Nationally Recognized Artist to Create Site-Responsive Sculpture Exploring Resilience and Community

Jackson, WY | September 15, 2026 — Jackson Hole Public Art (JHPA) and Teton County are pleased to announce that Seattle-based artist John Grade has been selected to create a permanent public artwork for the new Teton County Justice Center.

Grade was selected following a competitive national Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process that received more than 120 applications from artists across the country. Three finalists—Ben Butler Studio, John Grade Studio, and Franziska Agrawal Studio—were invited to develop site-specific proposals informed by the architecture, mission, and public function of the Justice Center.

Grade’s selected proposal draws inspiration from two local trees and the interconnected forest ecosystems in which they grow. The suspended sculpture will extend through the interior of the Justice Center, above the stairs and upper landing, and continue into the covered exterior space above the building’s entry.

The work examines the interior life of two individual trees through their growth rings, inviting viewers to consider the passage of time, periods of adversity and abundance, and the ways individual trees exist within a larger network. The forms evoke the surrounding mountains and landscape of Teton County while also exploring the unseen systems that connect trees to one another through intertwined roots and symbiotic fungal networks.

“Mr. Grade’s use of local trees really reflects our community’s deep connection to the environment and to one another,” said Teton County Board of County Commissioners Chair Mark Newcomb. “It’s a fitting addition to the Justice Center, reminding us that we’re all connected through a shared foundation of public safety and access to justice.”

At its core, his proposal asks viewers to consider how individual lives are connected to larger systems and what responsibilities come with living within a shared environment. The work offers an opportunity to reflect on resilience, interconnectedness, stewardship, and the relationship between the community and the natural world.