Modernist Musings

The English art critic Clive Bell, who married Virginia Woolf’s sister and was an active member of the Bloomsbury group, once described modernism as the “idea that an artwork can be expressive, even if largely or completely divorced from a recognizable reality.” Long before I became a full-time sculptor, this notion, particularly as it applies to abstract impressionism, informed my passion for art. When it comes to sculpture, I feel that abstraction enables me to better convey mood and feeling through the inquiry three-dimensional form invites, and the way light and shadow combine to reward with differing expressions depending on viewing angle and time of day.

Although much of my work is inspired by nature as seen through the lenses of modernist greats like Moore, Hepworth and Arp, I continue to challenge myself in pushing the envelope of abstraction. Last year I started to experiment with figurative work that borrows from a broader range of 20th Century modernists. My intention is to generate a deeper sense of intrigue and interest without sacrificing the essence or expressiveness I always hope to convey. The painted sculptures shown below are carved polystyrene maquettes refined with automobile finishes for bronze casting. I’ve also included a pair of stainless steel dogs and a couple of bronze shells carved long ago, to illustrate the breadth of my abiding interest in abstraction. Modernist musings are a continuing project!