Competition Class V 2011-2013

Rising Sun by Hanna Jubran

PIECE SPECIFICATIONS:

Stainless Steel & Bronze, 8' × 18' × 14'

CREATION DATE:

2008

click photos to enlarge


HOMETOWN:

Grimesland, North Carolina

STUDIO LOCATION:

Grimesland, North Carolina

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCULPTING?

30 years

WHAT GOT YOU INTO THIS MEDIUM?

Interest in the arts

WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS SELECTED PIECE DERIVE?

From nature, the rising sun, the horizon, day and night and the cycle of life.

TELL US ABOUT THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CRAFTING THIS PIECE.

I don't consider creating my sculpture as a challenge but as an expression.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COMPLETE THIS PIECE?

One year

HOW DO YOU WANT THE SCULPTURE GARDEN AUDIENCE TO LOOK AT YOUR WORK?

Since it is abstract and combined materials I want the viewer to enjoy the texture, surface play of light, the form and a significant meaning they see in it.

WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY FROM YOUR PIECE?

Refer to statement below.

WHAT OTHER ARTISTS INSPIRE YOU?

Many-but I have achieved my own style.

WHY DO YOU DO THE WORK YOU DO?

It is my profession.

WHERE DO YOU HAVE OTHER WORKS?

Refer to statement.

HOW DO YOU FINANCE THE WORK THAT YOU DO?

Selling my work.

I have been a participant of a great number of outdoor exhibitions and several International symposiums. My most recent accomplishments have included the participation in the following places, Art in the City Plaza in Raleigh, Cary outdoor Sculpture, Kingsport Tennessee, Lakeland Florida and several more. Most recent symposiums: Hojer Denmark, Granby Canada, Breckenridge Colorado, St. Blasien Germany, Tultepec Mexico all of which were International woodcarving or welded steel symposiums. All of the symposiums were a success, in that I placed high in the competitions as a representative of North Carolina.

My Goals.

(1) To continue exhibiting and participating in symposiums and conferences on national and international level.(2) To make the public aware of the new exhibitions and to stimulate interest in public art and local schools.(3) The maintenance of high quality work and craftsmanship.(4) A commitment to national and local exhibitions. Providing lectures and workshops in academic and professional fields.(5) Promoting public art.(6) The continued development of my research and creative work.

Artist Statement

If a goal is sought either consciously or unconsciously in the form of a work of art, one must solve innumerable problems and make innumerable decisions in order to achieve that end. One of many decisions I have made is maintaining and preserving the natural quality of the materials I work with. My work addresses the concept of time, movement, balance and space. Each sculpture occupies and creates its own reality influenced by its immediate surroundings.

The need for support is one of timing and time. I feel the work is ready for major exhibition. My future concern is to be able to continue my professional career as an educator and sculptor. Participating in this exhibition would open a new door for my future, as I would become more active in creating a sizeable body of work to show regionally, nationally and internationally.

Samuel's Altar by Shawn Morin

PIECE SPECIFICATIONS:

Mixed Granites, 71" × 32" × 32"

CREATION DATE:

2009

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HOMETOWN:

Weston, OH

STUDIO LOCATION:

Bowling Green, OH

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCULPTING?

28 years

WHAT GOT YOU INTO THIS MEDIUM?

A natural progression from marble and limestone and the lifelong of influence growing up in New Hampshire, "The Granite State."

WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS SELECTED PIECE DERIVE?

1 Samuel 7:12 in the Holy Bible

TELL US ABOUT THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CRAFTING THIS PIECE.

Fitting several separate pieces together in stone can be a bit challenging.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COMPLETE THIS PIECE?

I don't generally keep track of how long pieces take to complete.

HOW DO YOU WANT THE SCULPTURE GARDEN AUDIENCE TO LOOK AT YOUR WORK?

First from a purely visual experience, then from a conceptual experience.

WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY FROM YOUR PIECE?

An appreciation of the material, the composition and the inspiration of the Biblical passage from which it is derived.

WHAT OTHER ARTISTS INSPIRE YOU?

Christop Spath, John Iserwood, Donald Davis, Isamu Nogouchi, Walter Duesenberry and Jesus Morales to name a few . . .

WHY DO YOU DO THE WORK YOU DO?

The task of every man is to find the work God has laid before him and to do that work faithfully.

WHERE DO YOU HAVE OTHER WORKS?

I have work in over 50 public and private collections around the country and in several shows currently.

HOW DO YOU FINANCE THE WORK THAT YOU DO?

The granite is donated and rest of the material comes out of my paycheck.

Shadow Cast by Davis Whitfield IV

PIECE SPECIFICATIONS:

8'h × 3'w × 2'd

CREATION DATE:

January 2011


HOMETOWN:

Mountain City, Tennessee

STUDIO LOCATION:

Mountain City, Tennessee

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCULPTING?

11 Years

WHAT GOT YOU INTO THIS MEDIUM?

As a result of a 3-dimensional design class (by Ron Koehler) I got my first exposure to sculpture and immediately fell in love.

WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS SELECTED PIECE DERIVE?

I often try to see things in life through a different set of eyes, objects that we encounter on a day-to-day basis ranging from living organisms to the machines and buildings we co-exist with. Often with a turn of the head, we see a blur of images, harsh straight lines, meddling into gentle, organic curves. This particular sculpture captures this exact moment, a shadow cast from a couple I noticed while walking on the beach. Their shadow elongated and abstracted along the shoreline.

TELL US ABOUT THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CRAFTING THIS PIECE.

The most challenging aspect of this piece was the clean-up as a result of the intricate in-sets that were included.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COMPLETE THIS PIECE?

About three weeks.

HOW DO YOU WANT THE SCULPTURE GARDEN AUDIENCE TO LOOK AT YOUR WORK?

With an open mind. I would like it to be viewed through a youthful lens.

WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY FROM YOUR PIECE?

Honestly, I want the audience to take whatever they want out of the piece. I hesitate to speak on my inspiration for pieces as I want the viewer to have their own interpretation without it being swayed by my original purpose.

WHAT OTHER ARTISTS INSPIRE YOU?

Henry Moore, Constantin Brancusi, David Smith and of course, Wayne Trapp, my mentor.

WHY DO YOU DO THE WORK YOU DO?

Because I love it, I honestly wouldn't know what else to do!

WHERE DO YOU HAVE OTHER WORKS?

Chapel Hill, NC, Salisbury, NC, Boone, NC, Bristol, VA, Knoxville, TN, Oak Ridge, TN

HOW DO YOU FINANCE THE WORK THAT YOU DO?

These sculpture competitions allow me to purchase the raw materials for the next sculpture I make.

Eyes of the Storm by Bryan W. Massey

PIECE SPECIFICATIONS:

10' × 5' × 2'

CREATION DATE:

March 2008

click photos to enlarge


HOMETOWN:

Conway, AR

STUDIO LOCATION:

Conway, AR

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SCULPTING?

32 Years

WHAT GOT YOU INTO THIS MEDIUM?

What got me into this particular medium was the challenge of manipulating the cold, flat, hard steel with fire and hammers and making it bend to the will of my creative vision.

WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS SELECTED PIECE DERIVE?

The inspiration for this selected piece derived from the tragedy of Hurricanes "Katrina" and "Rita." After such devastating loss of life and property, our country pooled together to assist those that needed it most. It's my contribution to the year 2005 which saw a record number of hurricanes that year.

TELL US ABOUT THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CRAFTING THIS PIECE.

The main challenge associated with crafting this piece was the amount of physical strength required to "muscle" the flat steel into curves and bends. Even with the use of fire, there still was the challenge to bend the steel while it was red hot and not to bend it as it cools because it could cause stress in the metal and crack.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COMPLETE THIS PIECE?

I usually don't count the hours anymore. I just work until it's finished, but I would say from start to finish, 6 - 8 weeks.

HOW DO YOU WANT THE SCULPTURE GARDEN AUDIENCE TO LOOK AT YOUR WORK?

I want the Sculpture Garden audience to look at my work and say to themselves "How did he do that?" I want them to read the title and see the abstract swirling affect of the hurricane and that the five rings represent the two major and three minor hurricanes of 2005.

WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY FROM YOUR PIECE?

I hope that the audience takes away from my piece a greater appreciation for the men and women that work in this type of medium. I want them to reflect upon those that did lose everything and can appreciate what they have and treasure it.

WHAT OTHER ARTISTS INSPIRE YOU?

Other artists that inspire me are many, but the main four are: Henry Moore, Isamu Noguchi, Constantine Brancusi and Richard Hunt out of Chicago. Richard Hunt — because he was the first African American Sculptor that I became aware of and after contacting him, we became friends.

WHY DO YOU DO THE WORK YOU DO?

I do the work that I do because of my deep down belief that when God blesses you and gives you a certain talent, it's our responsibility to share it with others in a positive light. Besides, I love the challenge of looking at a tree stump, or a block of stone, or sheets of metal and turning them into works of art. Where other people just look at things, I see things.

WHERE DO YOU HAVE OTHER WORKS?

I have other works in several places around the US. I have work in Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, and one internationally, in Germany.

HOW DO YOU FINANCE THE WORK THAT YOU DO?

I finance the work that I do through my position as a Professor of Art at the University of Central Arkansas as well as through sales, commissions, and grants.