Prichard Art Gallery, Moscow, Idaho Ted Gaty

Over the Edge Prichard Art Gallery, Moscow, Idaho Ted Gaty

bout three quarters of the they were “mainly concerned about however, a number of the artists sub- way up the state of Idaho, assembling work from a group of mitted pieces that were examples of A not far from the Canadian turners who had established a record work they had been making for quite border, lies the town of Moscow, of significant new ideas.” The hope some time. Admittedly, it is not easy population 18,500. Moscow is the was that exhibition viewers would making new forms, especially if the home of the Prichard Art Gallery, an get a sense of the evolution of wood- old ones have been good to an artist. outreach facility of the University turning from a craft concerned with Thirty-nine artists contributed of Idaho’s College of Art and making utilitarian goods to its current pieces to the exhibition, which was a Architecture. Far from any major state as a vital and viable art form. great success in terms of participation. population center, it’s not easy to find In 2008, the Prichard Art Gallery The exhibit included a large enough unless you are looking for it. Yet the sponsored, “Over the Edge: body of work to show the public an Prichard Art Gallery has been host to Woodturning into Sculpture,” once array of wood art that pushed the two excellent woodturning exhibitions again facilitated by Rowley and envelope in both technical innovation since 2006 (www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/ curated by Christiansen and Van Ness. and design. galleries/index.html). This time, the curators were “primar- The following impressions, obser- In 2006, the gallery hosted ily interested in providing a forum for vations, and reactions to the artists’ “Woodturning on the Edge,” an exhi- established turners to step out of their works were made from a catalog of the bition facilitated by director Roger typical mode of working to provide pieces and from a CD of the exhibi- Rowley and curated by woodturn- entirely new ideas or to stretch them- tion and gallery space provided to me ers Jim Christiansen and Gerritt Van selves to change their work in signifi- by Roger Rowley. The pieces I chose Ness. In the words of the curators, cant ways.” According to the curators, for review, both favorable and unfa-

vorable, were those I felt were good examples of the exhibit’s theme: well- known artists working in wood who were pushing and stretching the art form. Of course, it would have been preferable to have written the review by actually having attended the exhibition, but this isn’t always possible, and the exhibition was of such quality that it deserves to be highlighted, even if after the fact. Bud Latven had made several similar forms in his Torsion series. He Photo: John Carlano wondered what the form would look Bill Luce, Portal Skeleton Bowl, 2008, Michael Brolly, Waiting for a Title, 2008, like if translated into a material other Douglas fir, 5½" × 6¾" dia. Wood and bronze, 11" × 16½" × 16½" than wood. Bud states, “The Bronze series is a study in the translation and pieces, leaving the initial form intact one step further in utilizing light and experience of form from one medium but eliminating the wood between the shadow. He suspended his simple, to another. The result is a stunning structural elements of the form. The sandblasted vortex above the flat reinterpretation of form from one play of light on the resulting wooden surface on which the piece is placed. medium to another.” skeleton then becomes an integral part The light now shining down through Ben Carpenter’s flowing, free-form of the piece. the shape creates beautiful, enchanting piece entitled Ka evolved from his Bill Luce took one of his elegant, reflections upon the surface below. woodturning roots. “I am a wood- simple bowl forms and blasted away William Moore’s piece, Twist, is an turner,” Ben states. However, he did the wood to reveal what he called exploration of the sculptural poten- not use a lathe in the creation of Ka. Portal Skeleton Bowl. In doing so, he tial of turned forms recombined. “I The piece began as a 100-pound block retains the form of the bowl, but have been using multiaxis turnings to of koa. Ben slowly carved it, taking exposes the ribs and the connecting examine how I might combine several more than an entire year to finish. To transverse elements that tie one of the forms together to create asymmetrical highlight the inside/outside contrast, portals to the other. We can now see and strongly dynamic compositions of Ben burned the concave surfaces, through the piece, and light can play form. My hope was to create a strong leaving the graceful outside curves in on the remaining elements creating the naturally figured koa. shadows that either darken or high- Two artists, Bill Luce and Michael light different parts of the form. Brolly, used a sandblaster, not just Using the same sandblasting for surface texture, but to carve their technique, Michael Brolly went

Bud Latven, Inversion 3, 2001, Bronze, stainless steel, 16" × 11" × 16"

Ben Carpenter, Ka, 2008,

Photo: Cody Powell Koa, 13" × 25" × 21"

woodturner.org 55 Copyright 2009, 2016, American Association of Woodturners. All rights reserved. William Moore, Twist, 2008, pet. Chris, one of the volun- David Nittmann, The Three J’s, 2008, Madrone burl, copper, 16" × 27" × 14½" teers who conducted tours European pear, white top eucalyptus burl, of the exhibition, enjoyed archival ink, acrylic, 15" dia. × 9" watching people’s reactions to this piece. In his words, “Frequently I could observe body language that seemed to show that it elicited some sort of understanding of [the artist’s] intent.” Remembrance, submitted by Andi Wolfe, was Photo: Dan Kvitka likewise created in response sense of gesture and movement,” to loss. Andi, known for her two- William says. I think he succeeded. dimensional leaf forms, extended her One of the characteristics of art is range into three dimensions with this the way a person’s feelings are con- work. The falling ginkgo leaves were veyed through the medium in which made from wood salvaged from two they choose to work. Several of the ginkgo trees that used to stand outside artists chose to do just that. her office. She commented, “These trees Art Liestman, known for his beauti- were over 100 years old and as tall as fully colored puzzle pieces, chose an the four-story building. My office was entirely new form for this submis- on the top floor of the building, facing sion. The highly textured columnar the courtyard and the beautiful ginkgo shapes, tilted slightly inward at the trees. I loved the autumn when the Photo: Tim Benko top, had the feeling of a memorial. gingko leaves turned golden yellow. metrically patterned wood comple- Indeed, the work represented Art’s It was so beautiful.” ments the geometry of his designs. In feelings after the death of a beloved In a distinctly different mood The Three J’s, I felt he gave us a mixed of remembrance, David Nittmann metaphor. He painted onto one of his used one of his basket forms as geometric forms an abstract expres- a canvas on which to express his sion of his breakthrough. Perhaps if gratitude to the three J’s, Janis Joplin, he had let go of the geometric pattern Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix. and matched the medium to the Nittmann notes, “The three J’s went message by painting his feelings on over the edge during my formative canvas, I could have felt more clearly years. I was in my mid twenties, a his expression of appreciation for the young adult past what most would three J’s. consider my ‘formative’ years, yet the One of the most ambitious pieces impact of these times influenced the in the exhibition was Young Ludwig: evolution of my life. Janis, Jim, and Dreaming of the Fifth by Steve Loar. It Jimi inspired me to break on thru was ambitious in two ways. One was and go ‘Over the Edge.’” to make a piece consisting of so many David is known for his basket forms parts coalesce into a harmonious on which he paints beautiful and com- vision. Second was to portray what plementary geometric designs. They one of music’s great geniuses might work wonderfully because his geo- have been thinking while dreaming about one of the greatest sympho- nies to be composed. In viewing this Art Liestman, Remnants, 2008, work, I personally didn’t get it. The 7 Photo: Kenji Nagai Big leaf maple, each piece 19 ⁄8" × 4" × 4" whole never added up to more than a

Cindy Drozda, Seeds of Change, 2008, inside a protective armature of wood, Ted Gaty is a retired schoolteacher Amboyna burl and African blackwood, Michelle Holzapfel’s piece, Maple, from Salem, Oregon. He began his diamonds, 14k gold leaf, 20½" × 4½" dia. Walnut, and Gold creates a sense of woodturning career, like many others, making bowls and candleholders. His Photo: Tim Benko value for the vessel and even a sense work has evolved into creating multimedia of mystery. It could be a water jug abstract wall hangings and art pieces that sum of its parts. It seemed placed in a hollow of a tree or utilize turned wood forms. He sells his idiosyncratic and cerebral a favored form lovingly pro- work on the juried art and craft fair circuit and it was difficult for me tected by the encircling arms. in the Pacific Northwest. to feel the artist’s intention It has an organic feel with the for each part in relation warmth and tactile nature to the whole. Beethoven’s of the wood enhancing the Fifth Symphony, on the feeling of the piece. other hand, has one of the Whatever name we want to most famous simple four- call it—woodturning, lathe-art, note openings in music, an wood sculpture—it’s all being opening that is uncomplicated blended into a dynamic new and goes straight to the heart. genre for those of us who love to Although the Fifth Symphony has work with wood. The pieces in this many parts, nonetheless, it remains exhibition wonderfully demonstrate emotionally accessible and uncom- how some of the current masters of plicated throughout. woodturning are leading us into this Seeds of Change, submitted by next era. Cindy Drozda, was created as a Will there be a third exhibition? response to physical changes Rowley says, “perhaps, in a few taking place in her own life. years.” There is a possibility of Cindy’s vessels, with their exquisite another collaboration between him, finials and beautiful forms, highlight Christiansen, and Van Ness. What the color and beauty of the exotic would the theme be? Invitations would wood surfaces she makes them be sent to an international group of from. This piece is not about surface wood artists to submit their latest however, but about interior space. We pieces. The title would be, “Around the are forced to look inside, as she has Edge: Woodturning into Sculpture.” been. It has a surprise: underneath If this exhibition does take place, the lid is a small blackwood bowl. The and I hope it does, I think I’ll get out bowl’s interior is gilded with 24k gold my map of Idaho, fill my car up with leaf and contains two 4pt diamonds. gas, and head with great expectations These represent “life’s hidden trea- to Moscow, Idaho. sures,” says Cindy. By placing the For a copy of the catalog, contact vessel form Roger Rowley at [email protected].

(Right) Steve Loar with Stoney Lamar, Young Ludwig: Dreaming of the Fifth, 1993-2008, Cherry, walnut, redwood lace burls, box elder, oak, curly willow, purchased marble-top table, mixed media, a faux marbled table base: Kim Conover-Loar, 80" × 18" × 18" Photo: Roy Engelbrecht (Left) Michelle Holzapfel, Maple, Walnut and Gold, 2008, Maple, walnut, and gold leaf, 24" × 15" × 8½"