Sculpture

My father was a sculptor. I think that I probably inherited the sculptor gene from him. He was a primitive style sculptor working mostly in wood. A very inventive man, my father introduced me to concepts that I would later apply in my work. He excelled in some "ahead of his time" sculptural theories that someday I think my direction will gravitate toward. Below are several of the sculptures that I have completed in the past couple of decades.

Windblown, aprox 36X36X40 in, metal moble, 1996 collection of Doug Duryea, photography Doug Duryea, 2007	Serpent Shrine ^, Pine, 18X24X36 in, c.1995 This piece is carved from one block of wood. The image is from a series that I had done in the '80s with the medium of cast aluminum. I consider this particular sculpture to be more successful than the others for several reasons: the grain in the wood is demonstrative of the manner in which a viper sees, by sensing heat, and then again, the warmth and organic nature of wood lends more to the portrayal of such a uniquely contraversial subject.
Shooting Frank, polychrome wood, 3X5X15 in, 1994	Wandering Banshee polychrome wood 4X8X18 in 1994
Pearly Gate, polychrome wood/steel, 4X8X12 in, 1994 I think that creating mobiles, like the "Windblown" piece shown above, is my favorite style of sculpture to make. I just love the movement element that constantly changes the lines of the sculptural composition. Kinetic sculpture, as it is called because it is in motion, fascinates the viewer and adds a sense of uncertainty (especially with the influence of air currents). The 20th Century artist, Alexander Calder is given credit for inventing sculptures of this type. All of my mobiles are airbrushed with enamel paint and are very cheerful to look at. The colors of the different parts gradate from a dark to lighter color, or are painted the color of the metal itself. Other modern masters that have influenced my sculpture are Takis and James Surls. Surls invited me and some students to visit one of his studios in Houston. We were all very impressed with the scale in which he works. His studio was gigantic and so were the sculptural pieces that hung from the top of his cavernous studio warehouse.	Ghost Ranch, polychrome wood 4X12X10, 1992