“Bend, Bow, Retain, Resist”, 2009
Young trees that arch/bow/bend under a weight of heavy snow fascinate me. These steel arches were created after those trees that bow in winter. They stand out – visually – against the verticality of trees around them. Here, in Vermont, I've only seen small ones but in Yellow Stone National Park I’ve seen huge trees bow to 60 foot arches -- to me, they appear magical and pathetic at the same time. They represent a paradox of stability and instability. In their presence I am reminded of: sag, slump, bend, yield, collapse as well as sustain, resist, retain, repeat, and endure.
My struggle in this work has been to make steel as “powerful” yet “powerless” and as “strong” yet “limp” as the trees I am inspired by.
-- After several attempts at bending steel rod, I began to hinge different diameters of steel pipe together. These long, linked, hinged sections were able to convey the paradoxical look I was drawn to. They also taught me about structures in nature that essentially work the same way as concentric cylinders.
Once installed as a cluster of arches – the pieces become a line-drawing in space – it can be seen from many different perspectives. Repetition completes an overall "flow" for the form. I aim to have no arch too curved, too severe, too gentle, or too perfect. As they bow, bend, yield, slump, sustain, resist, retain, repeat – the steel from which they were made conveys quirky yet durable and enduring qualities. The viewer is free to make their own interpretation of the finished piece.
"Garliques", 2007
Katherine Clear grew up in Mendham, New Jersey. Her artistic influence was established as a child through two generations of women and their domestic traditions. At an early age her grandmother taught her to crotchet and knit. Later her mother introduced her to the sewing machine. She became interested in exploring different materials and making things with her hands.
Her formal art education began at the University of Vermont. She was drawn to three-dimensional art, and Professor Barbara Zucker influenced her move into sculpture. In 2000, Clear Attended the California College of Arts and Crafts where she studied metalworking. After graduation she began her career in pursuit of the arts. She produced her first body of work under the mentorship of sculptor Bill Heise. Clear currently makes sculpture and custom metalwork at ST Griswold, where she shares shop space, and assists, sculptor Kate Pond.
Katherine has participated in community support programs through Northern New England Tradeswomen, encouraging and working with women interested in gaining skills in the trades. The program, Rosie's Girls, is designed to interest girls, aged nine to eleven, in using tools. The program included a three-day camp where all the girls learned welding skills allowing them to each produce small sculptures. She mentors high school students, and currently serves as a teaching assistant to Professor Meg McDevitt at the University of Vermont.
Titles: "Thought Prism", 2008 (L); "Paleolithic Translation", 2009 (R)
Both of the stone sculptures on display, “Thought Prism” and “Paleolithic Translation” are my attempts to expand our generally narrow thinking and perception of our place in the world. My hope is that these sculptures, which reference both ancient history and modern times, urge thinking about mankind’s lengthy past, the fleeting present, and the challenging future. Will the species intellectual evolution become our downfall or our redemption?
Title: Untitled, 2004
“Size matters,” according to fine woodworker and metal sculptor, David Tanych. He has been building objects since his father gave him a saw, hammer, nails and a block of wood at the age of 10. A veteran home and furniture builder, David has turned his interest in design and fabrication from the functional and practical to the imaginative and artistic. Interested in welding and properties of metal, David attended tow summer sessions in blacksmithing at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, where he began to connect to a much different medium that wood.
Intrigued and inspired by the strength and flexibility of steel, David started using it to construct functional objects such as tables, picture frames and garden pergolas. As he became more skilled, gaining more mastery over the metal, David began building huge steel outdoor sculptures. Likened to the work of veteran sculpture Claes Oldenburg by many viewers, David’s most recent pieces are big and bold, representing everyday objects such as a skeleton key and matching keyhole, and a set of jacks and a ball. These objects are immediately recognizable as the things they are, although they have been altered from their original usefulness to works of art by their massive scale. The results are fun and playful, instantly brining the viewer back to a time when these items were more common. This sense of memory is part of the works’ appeal.
Tanych is excited and challenged working in this size, using a torch that melts steel. When complete, the pieces are acid etched, allowing them to rust, which adds another dimension to their unique charm. When seen from a distance, the huge objects materialize into view, bringing the observer along. And when seen up close, the viewer immediately notices the meticulous attention to detail. These pieces are meant to be seen by the public in an outdoor environment, such as a park or a plaza. David designs his work with how they will be viewed in space foremost in his mind. He finds himself responding to the positive encouragement he receives form the public, inspiring him to bigger and bolder experimentations with the properties of steel.
Title: "Vermont Shrine", 2009
As a child and young man I lived and worked on a dairy farm. The beauty of the farm buildings and objects continue to influence my work. This piece is about the simplicity and directness of everyday common objects enclosed in an environment that evokes a simple old Vermont barn or house. My sculptures are frequently life size replicas of a few items that are used every day. I enjoy working with construction materials, many of which are recycled from various building projects.