What is the process you go through in making your sculpture?
For me the process is very open and fluid – I really try hard not to excessively control what happens. In fact, I generally let the scrap material, usually lumped into a pile by the studio, inspire me. My mind kicks into a creative mode and I start to play at mocking pieces together, temporarily juxtaposing one next to another. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, an idea seems to pop into my head and is my starting platform to launch from. Work then begins cleaning up the pieces I’ve selected, followed by fabricating the sculpture’s base or mounting plinth block. Next, the fun really begins as my initial conceptualizations starts to be realized with the melding, welding and attaching of the various pieces together, standing back occasionally from time to time to ponder the progress.
After a short viewing break I’m back at work grinding and welding with sparks and rust flying everywhere. This will continue on for a spell only to once again stand back to view the piece morphing ever closer to its final form. This cycle gets repeated over and over many times until the sculpture is finally completed. During this process I’m continually solving problems in the construction along with thinking in terms of its symbolic meaning. As the work matures I do spend more time relating to it from a visceral perspective. Just how do I feel about it?… What emotion does it illicit?... and… How might someone else respond to it?... are all questions I begin to query myself. A good portion of my sculptures are interpreted and based on personal introspection and reflection which makes it extremely difficult for me to part with any of them.
How long does it take to build some of your sculptures?
Depending on the size of the work and the details necessary, a sculpture can take just a few days to sometimes as long as months to complete. During construction I also spend a considerable amount of time researching the ideas surrounding the piece. I find this aspect very rewarding and to a degree, it is one of the big time consumers in making my art, delving deeply into a whole slew of interesting subjects. I use sculpture making as a vehicle to further pursue my personal studies. Everything from anthropology to zymurgy is up for grabs in what I might explore, learn about and use to create and then interpret my art pieces.
What artist or person has inspired you in your art making?
Actually there are a couple of folks that have been inspirational for me in the making of my art. One is Loren Eiseley, anthropologist and philosopher. His writings, considered to be poetic essays by some, impacted me on a deep level and ultimately are influencing my artwork’s interpretation and relevance. As well, his style has moved me to try my hand at writing a little poetry as a counterpart, or literary companion, to my artwork. An example of this creative synergy between my sculpture and poetry can be found in the sculpture entitled, Tumble Weed, in conjunction with my verse named, Ripped from Terra Firma. Through the welded and written assemblages I speak to an acquaintance’s loss of their child as a result of drugs. Or in the sculpture, Idyllic Vapor, in tandem with the verse entitled, Tumbling Back, I reflect back to a time in my past when as a young boy I was innocently self-absorbed in the natural world around me.
The other inspirational individual is my Great Uncle. I remember visiting him as a young lad as he worked in his studio carving miniature wildlife and human figurines. There was a real mystery and aura for me in that place and what he was creating artistically. Now deceased, a portion of his works are held in the Massachusetts Audubon Society collection. In fact, several years ago a regional museum hosted a major exhibition of his work. Surprisingly, he did not begin his artistic career until he was 50 years old! I guess I have a better understanding of the awe I experienced visiting my uncle’s studio many years ago now that my grandson comes over to my outdoor gallery and rustic studio. Getting out of the car and looking around at the steel creations littering the landscape all he can say is… “Wow this place is freaky!”
For me the process is very open and fluid – I really try hard not to excessively control what happens. In fact, I generally let the scrap material, usually lumped into a pile by the studio, inspire me. My mind kicks into a creative mode and I start to play at mocking pieces together, temporarily juxtaposing one next to another. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, an idea seems to pop into my head and is my starting platform to launch from. Work then begins cleaning up the pieces I’ve selected, followed by fabricating the sculpture’s base or mounting plinth block. Next, the fun really begins as my initial conceptualizations starts to be realized with the melding, welding and attaching of the various pieces together, standing back occasionally from time to time to ponder the progress.
After a short viewing break I’m back at work grinding and welding with sparks and rust flying everywhere. This will continue on for a spell only to once again stand back to view the piece morphing ever closer to its final form. This cycle gets repeated over and over many times until the sculpture is finally completed. During this process I’m continually solving problems in the construction along with thinking in terms of its symbolic meaning. As the work matures I do spend more time relating to it from a visceral perspective. Just how do I feel about it?… What emotion does it illicit?... and… How might someone else respond to it?... are all questions I begin to query myself. A good portion of my sculptures are interpreted and based on personal introspection and reflection which makes it extremely difficult for me to part with any of them.
How long does it take to build some of your sculptures?
Depending on the size of the work and the details necessary, a sculpture can take just a few days to sometimes as long as months to complete. During construction I also spend a considerable amount of time researching the ideas surrounding the piece. I find this aspect very rewarding and to a degree, it is one of the big time consumers in making my art, delving deeply into a whole slew of interesting subjects. I use sculpture making as a vehicle to further pursue my personal studies. Everything from anthropology to zymurgy is up for grabs in what I might explore, learn about and use to create and then interpret my art pieces.
What artist or person has inspired you in your art making?
Actually there are a couple of folks that have been inspirational for me in the making of my art. One is Loren Eiseley, anthropologist and philosopher. His writings, considered to be poetic essays by some, impacted me on a deep level and ultimately are influencing my artwork’s interpretation and relevance. As well, his style has moved me to try my hand at writing a little poetry as a counterpart, or literary companion, to my artwork. An example of this creative synergy between my sculpture and poetry can be found in the sculpture entitled, Tumble Weed, in conjunction with my verse named, Ripped from Terra Firma. Through the welded and written assemblages I speak to an acquaintance’s loss of their child as a result of drugs. Or in the sculpture, Idyllic Vapor, in tandem with the verse entitled, Tumbling Back, I reflect back to a time in my past when as a young boy I was innocently self-absorbed in the natural world around me.
The other inspirational individual is my Great Uncle. I remember visiting him as a young lad as he worked in his studio carving miniature wildlife and human figurines. There was a real mystery and aura for me in that place and what he was creating artistically. Now deceased, a portion of his works are held in the Massachusetts Audubon Society collection. In fact, several years ago a regional museum hosted a major exhibition of his work. Surprisingly, he did not begin his artistic career until he was 50 years old! I guess I have a better understanding of the awe I experienced visiting my uncle’s studio many years ago now that my grandson comes over to my outdoor gallery and rustic studio. Getting out of the car and looking around at the steel creations littering the landscape all he can say is… “Wow this place is freaky!”
