In Balance: Wood & Metal showcases the distinctive talent of 5 American artists and their connection between two mediums- wood and metal. The artists in the wood field, specifically the wood turning field, have gradually moved beyond the solo use of wood to enhance the beauty, grain and its characteristic defects. We bring you this exhibition to express the endless possibilities wood encompasses as a medium, inspiration and starting point for sculpture.

Robyn Horn uses color and texture to stimulate the viewer’s eye around the surface of her sculptures. Her use of found metal objects completes her carved architectural shapes. Michael Chinn gives us modern lines and structures that one can imagine reaching over a city landscape on a large scale. Intimacy is important to the work; yet the subtle smoothness of the wood and the high polished metal provides an engineer’s gaze. Todd Hoyer’s sculptures at first seem to be reconstructed segments of wood held together by wire. Hoyer begins and ends with an intact piece of wood. Wrapped wire creates tension and texture as it defines the subtle natural forms.

Mark Nantz’s technique and skill pulls us into a world of ancient artifacts. The shape of his “Amphora” series is not common in modern times and gives us illusions back to a lavish era. His wood vessels are so finally detailed that you wonder if they have just been excavated. Finally, William Moore’s infatuation with the orb extends into the inner working of the shape itself. Moore tempts the viewer from the inside rather than the outside. The metal casings give the wood another structure without taking away from the inner workings.

Wood is tough, functional, and versatile and does not shy away from other materials. These artists are texturing and shaping the wood into new forms and meaning. In essence these artists are bringing new meaning to their work and are challenging the viewer to see beyond purely wood based objects. The mix of organic and fabricated materials is only the beginning of your explorations of “balance.”

RON HUMBERTSON, Director of Exhibitions & Collections