Sculptors

Pacific Northwest Area Sculptors Explore Space at Sculpture Gallery

This month, our Making Space sculpture gallery show displayed the talent and commitment of both Pacific Northwest Sculptors and Northwest Stone Sculptors Association members. ArtReach Gallery is a huge space and we filled it with excellent examples of our work. We drew a steady stream of visitors. I heard many positive remarks about the quality of sculptures in the sculpture show from International Sculpture Conference participants. We presented ourselves well.

ArtReach Gallery Sculpture Show Sculptures - October 2019

Collaborating For A Sculpture Gallery Show

The effort required to assemble 39 pieces from 25 sculptors was epic. We had five or six sculptures between 5’ and 8’ tall. There were multiple stone sculptures nearly equaling the weight of their creators. My only regret is that the show only lasted four days.

The lack of sales was disappointing, but the boost in visibility and a few new memberships may have long term benefits for the organization. This was our first collaborative venture with NWSSA. I hope we will produce another show in the Seattle area. Sheldon Hurst, the curator at ArtReach has also suggested we display a few sculptures at ArtReach on an ongoing basis.

ArtReach Gallery Sculpture Show - October 2019

Special thanks to Bob Dale for identifying the space and making introductions. Working with Sheldon Hurst was as pleasant an experience as I’ve had in a long time. Additional thanks to Dave Gonzo and Andy Kennedy for moving pedestals to and from storage. A special thanks also go to Sue Quast for taking the lead on hospitality for our reception. And, no activity is complete without a thank you to George who helped with coordination and assisted in judging the entries. Shelly and Jessica worked kept us visible on social media. Thank you to all the participants who put a lot into getting work to and from the gallery for such a short event. And, finally, there are a number of NWSSA members who deserve a nod, including Cyra Jane and Carl Nelson whom I worked with directly.

Thanks to Marty Eichinger for co-hosting a reception for conference attendees and PNWS members. That was a great networking opportunity.

I’m sure I’ve overlooked a few others who also deserve to be thanked. My apologies.

To learn more about Pacific Northwest Sculptors events, contact us today!

Sculptors Share Secrets At International Sculpture Day 2019

International Sculpture Day - May 2019 - 1

International Sculpture Day - May 2019 - 2

We’ve yet to have an International Sculpture Day celebration that was not a great success. This one was slimmed down from previous years in that it was to be merely a juried exhibition with a few artists demonstrating techniques. A budget was set for food and the demonstrators paid a small fee to participate. Sculptors Jesse Pierson and Dave Gonzo hosted at their studio on Franklin in SE Portland. Of course, this all sounds simple, but there are a tremendous number of tasks to complete to pull such a thing off. Firstly, you need postcards and publicity, find somebody to pour beer, and the food needs to be bought and set up. Also, where does one find a computer beefy enough to run Oculus Rift? At some point, Gonzo had to lower the giant spider down from the ceiling and build a fire in it. Suffice it to say there was plenty of thinking and heavy lifting involved to make the event a success.

International Sculpture Day Is Mainly A Social Event

I was a demonstrator and went with the intent of making a decent number of little creatures. I made a small lump. It was green and misshapen. That’s as far as I got. Afterward, I spent the rest of the time talking with one person after another. What a bunch of interesting people and what a remarkable evening.

Oculus Rift is a piece of the 3D system with a stereo headset primarily aimed at the gaming industry. One is immersed in a 3-dimensional environment usually with ample weaponry. Hand controls enable one to manipulate and/or operate virtual objects. Your virtual hands or tools mimic the movements of your real arms and hands. Of course, all this means it’s possible to make things as well. This resulted in one person after another sitting over in the corner with googles and hand controls making insane gestures. Alisa Looney, Chas Martin, Andy Kennedy, Joe Cartino, and I were the demonstrators. All were constantly engaged. Thanks, Dave and Jesse, and all who helped out. That was a really nice event.

To learn more about Pacific Northwest Sculptors events, and con t act us today!

Frogwood Collaborations: Sculptors share techniques and perspectives

6 days and 6 nights filled with making art with 38 other artists… what could be better? We usually were at work by 7:30 am and continued sometimes to 11:30 and later. It was amazing to see people simply drop their egos within a couple of days and simply play with one another, creating art. There were no rules such as- how much was to be made, how to make it, how to connect with others, how many to work on a piece, how to warm up or any other rules that you could think up. We were simply there with tools and art supplies that we brought and a ton of tools and art supplies that were already there. Some had been there before, some had not, most were accomplished artists in their fields and all were ready to play. The word that comes to mind first in trying to describe it to people is – profound. It made me call to a deeper part of me and simply create more freely.

Included in the array of makers were wood turners, welders, a blacksmith, coppersmiths, jewelers, sculptors, weavers and even a couple of people that made instruments. This next year the plan is to invite even more folks. A few people traveled home each night but most stayed in tents and cabins around a place called Camp Colton in Colton, Oregon, about an hour SE of Portland. The affair is catered with amazing food and I bunked with the most wonderful people. You’d think that 3 women in a tiny cabin room would be a problem, especially with the bathroom outside in another part of the building. Nope, it was really enjoyable talking excitedly about our day when we did bump into each other there.

Below is one of the pieces that I collaborated on – I made the stand and the boat and all of the pieces including the sail are made by 9 other artists.

Frogwood

Sculptors Near Me – How Collaboration makes us all better sculptors

Perhaps the most valuable feature of a group as diverse as ours is that we’re such a diverse group. Every meeting I’ve attended has resulted in some insight, recommendation, introduction, new product idea, new connection that I had not expected from someone I had not known before. Networks like ours are rich with opportunities like that. I would love to see more members attend more meetings to expand the mix of potential intersections even further.

Another benefit of our monthly meetings is seeing the workspaces and processes of our members. I never get bored learning about how other artists think, work and manage life. It’s a juggling act we all experience. Sharing those experiences gives us more options to solve our own challenges with new ideas. There’s always someone within reach who can offer advice, support or perspective.

And that brings me to the next point. Before Isabelle and Paul moved to the Alps, they were our most dedicated volunteers. They did so many things, every month, without fail. We knew when they left it would create a large hole in our organization. And, we knew it would take some time to motivate others to take leadership. It’s starting to happen.

I was extremely pleased this past week with the effort of Alan Newberg, James Finnigan, Michele Collier, Nancy Bocek and Robert E. Gigliotti who put together this month’s epic, 12-page “Calls For Entry” list. What an incredible job these members did! The listings were thoughtfully screened from a larger set of sources than ever before. I think this monthly service is incredibly valuable. I’m glad it’s back on track. Many thanks to our team.

We’re a volunteer organization. As a member, whatever your level of commitment to PNWS, consider taking it up a notch. Maybe you can’t commit to a monthly task, but consider what you can offer. Show up at a meeting. Host a meeting. Write an article. Recruit another sculptor to join the group. Don’t underestimate the value of what you know or what you can share. Being there is, in itself, a benefit.