sculpture woodworking Archives

The Plant Show

September 25, 2016 by David

I think every artist dreams of being in a gallery show in New York City. It’s a total stereotype, and one that I am not ashamed to say that I too have carried around for years. One I have carried around without much hope of realization or much action on my part to make it happen. I just kept working, following my imagination and thinking maybe someday. One day, late last Spring it happened, and I got invited to be in The Plant Show at the 99¢ Plus Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Simran Johnston curated the show and did a spectacular job. The 99¢ Plus Gallery, in a repurposed discount store, seemed like the perfect place in New York for my work. I started following them on Instagram and was thrilled to see that their previous opening had been shut down by the police. This opportunity was looking better all the time, and I had the perfect piece for the show. It was one of my favorites and was sitting in storage, waiting for just such a chance to be given a new life and purpose. Little did I know what would happen…

With gallery walls all painted green, and an intriguing cast of characters assembled, what Simran designed in the 99¢ Plus Gallery grew beyond what could have been imagined, and became a media sensation.

Congratulations Simi, and thank you for including me in such an awesome group and making dreams come true.

Tentacle Planter 2013
Medium: Vitreous China and Glass
Dimensions: 18” x 22” x 20”
Made from a Kohler sink, known by the workers there as a “Dog Dish,” with tentacle legs joined and fired into one piece. The table has a glass top with a glazed white canoe bowl on top.
Made at the Kohler Factory in Wisconsin as part of an Arts/Industry Residency.

Please go on Instagram and check out #theplantshow to see all the great work, and for the entire surreal experience.

Press for the Plant Show:

David

New sculpture in development for Denver

March 31, 2016 by David

I am currently working with Aaron Whelton on a new public art sculpture project for Sand Hills Prairie Park in the Forest Hills development in Stapleton. Not far from where I grew up and went to high school, this is an amazing opportunity to get back to my home town and get to practice my craft. What we are envisioning will transform an otherwise mundane space into something exceptional. This is a preview of what we have in mind.

The site for the project is this pedestrian underpass in Sand Hills Prairie park with Central Park Boulevard running over it.

Pedestrian Underpass at Sand Hills Prairie Park under construction

The theme of the park is based on sand hill landscape formations that existed in the area before the building of Stapleton Airport. The concept emerged from the idea of sand formations. We designed a sculpture of sand dunes that will be approximately 116′ long and 23′ wide. The model looks like this.

preliminary model for Sand Hills Prairie Park

The sculpture will be hung from the ceiling of the tunnel for a very surreal effect as you move through the space.

Rendering of the Dune Sculpture from the entrance of the pedestrian underpass

Rendering from the opposite entrance of the Dune Sculpture concept in the pedestrian underpass

Rather than decorate the entrances to the overpass we wanted to transform the space inside the tunnel itself. The sculptural members will be painted a white to brighten the space and hopefully the whole effect will make it a destination to be experienced.

rendered view from of the sculpture Inside the Central Park Boulevard underpass

The tunnel is also oriented almost due east and west which at sunrise and sunset should allow the reflective nature of the sculpture change with the light and color at different times of the day and year.

detail of the Dune Sculpture installation

We are right now finalizing the design and going through all of the steps for approval required by the various stakeholders. Keep your fingers crossed and we should be installing in the early fall 2016.

David

The Old and the New

July 16, 2015 by David

This Tentacle installation has an interesting setting. It sits on a mantle I carved from fir in 2004 along with the panels on either side. The theme of the carvings were wind and water, with creatures from the water and the Moon on the right panel and creatures of the air and the Sun on the left panel. The mantle has wind and waves flowing out to their respective sides.

The Tentacles are a new contrasting sculptural element. They relate as a theme around the home and also to the carved Octopus on the top of the panel on the right. It is really amazing to work with such kind people who continue to appreciate your art as it evolves, and to see it all working together for a new effect.

View of Tentacles with Wind Cliff Mantle and Panels — Tentacles with Wind Cliff Mantle and Panels

Rippling Wall Receives Public Art Network Year in Review Award

June 13, 2015 by David

Fire Fighters in front of Fire Station 21 Portland Oregon

THere was bit of good news this week for The Rippling Wall project at Fire Station 21 in Portland Oregon. It was honored with a Public Arts Network Year in Review award which can be viewed here, by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. Their budget number is a bit off in their entry, my budget was a fraction of that and the building cost much more so I don’t know where that came from.

This year The Rippling wall was recognized as one of 31 outstanding public arts projects created in 2014 by the Public Art Network (PAN) Year in Review program, the only national program that specifically recognizes the most compelling public art. The works were chosen from more than 300 entries across the country and were presented Americans for the Arts’ 2015 Annual Convention in Chicago.

Check out the other incredible public artwork that was selected here.

This project could not have been done without Kurt Nordquist of Davinci’s Workshop, or Arron Whelton and Whelton Architecture, who designed the building and worked closely with me on my project, a great team. Peggy Kendellen of Portland’s Regional Arts and Culture Council was amazing to work with as well.

Portland Fire and Rescue Chief Erin Janssens, Deputy Chief Marco Benetti, Station Captian Marty Getsch and all the firefighters at the station were great to work with too. Connie Johnson was the project manager with the City of Portland, David Dwyer with Skanska was, the contractor, and Ian Eikanas with KPFF engineered the project.

Last year’s project at Marc Adams School of Woodworking

May 11, 2015 by David

I was invited to teach for my third year in a row at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Franklin, Indiana. It is quite an honor as it is the best school of its kind in America and draws students of all walks of life, and from all corners of the country. Its always a great pleasure to teach here.

I have been teaching 3-D wood sculpture classes, and knife making workshops, alongside some of the finest woodworkers and craftspeople in North America here. My students have been interested in last year’s project so I thought I would post the project progression pictures here plus drawings for an alternate open winged version of the sculpture.

Raven Sculpture Step one — Beginning the Raven sculpture

drawings for an alternate wings open version of the Raven sculpture — drawings for an alternate, wings open, version of the Raven sculpture