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December Issue 2006
Pickens County Museum of Art & History in Pickens, SC, Offers Two New Exhibitions
The Pickens County Cultural Commission is pleased to announce the opening of two new exhibitions at the Pickens County Museum of Art & History in Pickens, SC, including: Drawing with Wood, featuring works by eight regional artists and An Iron Will: The Work of Griz Hockwalt, featuring an exceptional collection of metal work and sculpture created by this prolific artists. Both exhibits will be on view from Dec. 2 through Feb. 17, 2007.
With an eye towards the linear nature of wood, Drawing with Wood is a collection of furniture-making, marquetry, pyrography, sculpture and woodturning. The exhibition is the result of an invitation to a select group of artists, working in wood, for works that, through their own interpretation, draws attention to the linear quality of manipulated wood.
Utilizing both of the museum's upstairs' galleries, the artists included are John Acorn, Warren Carpenter, Orchid Davis, Josh Marshall, Michael McDunn, Russ Morin, Christie West and Thomas Zumbach.
A prolific sculptor living in Pendleton SC, John Acorn is retired from Clemson University where he taught for 36 years, serving as Head of the Department of Visual Arts and History for more than 20 years. He has exhibited widely throughout the Southeast, and his works are in numerous public, private and museum collections. In 1998, Acorn received the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award, the South Carolina Arts Commission's most prestigious honor bestowed in recognition of an artist's commitment to furthering arts in the State.
Warren Carpenter, a woodturner from Seneca SC, is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, with works in many galleries and collections. Of his work Carpenter says, "Woodworking has always been a part of my life, but what else would you expect from a Carpenter?" Since 1999, his passion has been turning wood. "I am always watching for those special trees or parts of trees that may someday become a unique turning. There are few things better than finding a burl and figuring out the best way to turn it into one or more pieces of artwork." While he does create 'normal' or 'natural' bowls, Carpenter also enjoys experimenting with new shapes and forms to help release the beauty of a piece of wood.
From Westminster SC, Orchid Davis is among the nation's finest pyrographers. Specializing in wildlife, Davis has authored numerous articles and books including, Woodburning Western Wildlife and How to Burn Wildlife: A Burning Class in a Book. It has been written of her, "Taking treks through the wilderness used to be a pastime for Orchid Davis who loves wildlife. But when she left a career as a commercial artist to do nothing but carve and later pyrograph the wildlife she so loves and enjoys, she found her niche. Now when she goes hiking in the wild, she has the excuse that she is doing research for her art work!" (Py·rog·ra·phy) a process or art of producing designs on wood, leather, or other materials by using heated tools or a fine flame.
Josh Marshall
The sculptor Josh Marshall, living in Chesnee SC, creates unique works that are as accomplished as they are whimsical. When asked of his work he said, "I try to give the wood its' own soul so that the pieces truly represent a mood, emotion, expression, or a feeling in life." Whether a wall mounted sculpture, a piece of furniture or a simple shelf, Marshall's work demonstrates what might be called the 'liquid' quality that does exist in wood.
In Greenville SC, the Michael McDunn Studio specializes in the creation of custom, master-quality furniture for clients ranging from the individual to the corporate. His commercial pieces such as conference tables, desks, and credenzas command attention in many corporate offices, including those of Michelin, Raycom Media, Liberty Corporation, Carolina First, and more. With thirty years of custom woodworking experience and access to a comprehensive array of wood species and hardware components, McDunn's custom furniture pieces exist as elegant and powerful centerpieces and are certainly tomorrow's heirlooms.
Russ Morin
Also living in Greenville, Russ Morin specializes in 'Green Woodworking', which refers to a range of traditional woodworking methods that involve the artist dealing directly with a log from a freshly felled tree as opposed to finished lumber. About his work Morin says, "Most of my wood comes from trees that are destined for the landfill. If a tree has to die then it should be put to good use. The resulting piece should celebrate all the twists and turns that mark life of a tree." He continues, "I prefer the 'art' aspect of wood. My chairs, for instance, are weirdly organic with odd legs which make them look like they could walk out of the room. Worm holes are to be cherished and crooked limbs coveted."
Christie West
Having been a furniture maker for over 35 years, Christie West, in Denmark SC, has for the past decade followed a need to include some form of narrative in his work. This led to his learning the art of marquetry (inlaid wood), which enabled the use of imagery to tell a story. Speaking about his work, West says, "Each one of my pieces is entirely crafted by hand, from design to finished piece. The subject matter is always a reflection of my life; flowers in my garden, sprites whispering in my ear, recollections of another place and time. They all have a jewel-like quality that comes from not only the selection of woods but something of the little people who inhabit my soul." West finds much of his inspiration from the Arts & Crafts era, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Khalil Gibran, as well as Asian watercolors and wood block prints.
Thomas Zumbach
Now living in Greer, SC, Thomas Zumbach's woodturning evolved from a hobby developed in the early 1980's, when he began making custom furniture pieces. He says of himself, "Later on, my interest piqued when I saw a turned walnut goblet at a show. The elegance and beauty of that piece turned my hobby into an obsession. With no available woodturning classes, I began to experiment and teach myself. I soon found that my passion for the artistry of woodworking had become a lifelong career." Zumbach continues, "Purity of form is what I strive for when turning a piece. The lines, character and color variations of burls and spalted woods are my favorite to work with."
From these eight artists a true cross section of styles is represented. As each artist looks at, and into, any piece of wood, it is with their eyes and through their hands that every line, every curve and every space emerges so that the object they end with is much more than a piece of furniture, a sculpture, a bowl or a picture on the wall; each piece exists in the space it occupies as an example of 'drawing with wood'.
Griz Hockwalt
Now living near Table Rock, SC, in Pickens County, "Griz" Hockwalt, began Blacksmithing in the early 1970's, specializing in Early American Reproductions. He started Grizzly Forge in 1975. About himself, Hockwalt says, "Being basically, self taught, I have spent the last 30 years working with, watching or asking questions of any Blacksmith who would put up with me. For the past 10 years I have concentrated on using traditional Blacksmithing techniques to create contemporary works."
Born in 1946 in Waukesha, WI, Hockwalt moved to Indiana in the mid 1950's. He went to work for General Motors in 1964 and also served with the United States Special Forces in Viet Nam from 1966-1968. After retiring from General Motors in 1994 he, with his wife, moved to Pickens County. In addition to his membership in the Artist Blacksmith Association of North America, the Philip Simmons Artist Blacksmith Guild of SC and the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, Griz is also the Village Blacksmith at the Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center where he demonstrates 18th and 19th century Blacksmithing on the third Saturday of each month.
When referring to his work, Hockwalt says, "Say the word 'Blacksmith' and nine out of ten times the response will be 'Oh, you shoe horses'. Although the shoeing of horses is an art in itself, even the 18th and 19th century Blacksmith was much more than a maker of horseshoes. He was a toolmaker, a cutler, the local hardware store, Mr. Fix-it, and in many cases the veterinarian or even the dentist."
Hockwalt continues, "Imagine creating a piece of art using four of the Earth's major elements; Fire, Water, Air and Iron. With nothing but hand tools, you can take a hard, cold piece of steel and transform it into a delicate flower or a beautiful piece of furniture. Blacksmithing is hot, hard, dirty work, but for those of us who enjoy creating with our hands, the rewards are indescribable."
For further information check our SC Institutional
Gallery listings, call the Museum at 864/898-5963 or visit (www.co.pickens.sc.us/culturalcommission).
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