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| Indonesian Fax Wood 24in x 24in x 2 ½in |
My intention for this sculpture was to explore the medium of wood. For this piece, I focused on formalism. I was more interested in the form and materials than the meaning behind it. I wanted to hone in on the structural aspect of the shapes and their relationships with one another. I sought to really understand the physical aspects of the wood to create something that focuses on the material. I salvaged a beautiful piece of detailed carved wood from old furniture and wanted it to be the focal point, bringing it new life. By deciding to create a radial design around it, I wanted to achieve emphasis on the center. I knew I wanted to create a piece that had contrasting wood colors and take the beauty of the wood into consideration. I challenged myself to go against my usual work and make something where measurements are crucial to how the piece will turn out, responding to the wood with a formalist mindset. I sanded down all the pieces until they were smooth to the touch and then I brought it to life by rubbing in petroleum jelly. The smooth texture is particularly important to this piece because it brings the grain of the wood to the surface. The point where my piece disengages with formalism is when I was inspired by the motif of stars for the structure of the radial design. However, I quickly went back to the headspace of formalism when I started to physically work and assemble the wood.
It was a challenge to focus on the measurements and not go off script. I continually wanted to eyeball a measurement or try different shapes of pieces of wood that needed to be cut all the same. Because each part relied on each other, I could not do that. If even one piece did not fit right, it would ruin the overall function of the piece. I am a strong believer that through the creating process, one unveils what they are making and the meaning of the piece. One starts to twist and turn to explore the idea they started with through the creating process and that is what develops the final piece. This piece I created had that to some degree, with first deciding what wood looks good together and then making different cuts of wood to see what shape I wanted. Once those decisions were made, I stood by them throughout the process and would not alter them. This challenge that I presented to myself made me grow as an artist.
Inspiration:
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| Salem Barker https://www.salembarker.com/catalpa-form2-contemporary-wo |
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| Kerry Vesper https://www.vesperwoodsculpture.com/starflower |
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| Tony Cragg https://ropac.net/artists/37-tony-cragg/works/10663-tony-cragg-in-no-time-2019/ |
