Thursday, May 15, 2014

Artist Reception TOMORROW : Malcolm Wright Exhibition "Transformations into Bronze"

Malcolm Wright
- Transformations into Bronze -

May 16th Fri. - 18th Sun.
Artist Reception  May 16th, 6 pm - 8 pm
We are pleased to announce that Sara Japanese Pottery will present the fourth in a series of events to celebrate our 25th years anniversary.
Exhibition will feature the one of our significant artists, Malcolm Wright.


* Open Hour *
May 16th, Fri.  10 am - 8 pm   Artist Reception  6pm - 8pm
May 17th, Sat. 12 pm - 6 pm
May 18th, Sun. 12 pm - 6 pm


* After the 3 days exhibition, the works will move to our private gallery space "Sara Home".
Please feel free to contact us to see his works.
To describe Malcolm Wright.  We have known each other for nearly 20 years.  At his home in Marlboro, a town near Brattleboro in southern Vermont, is his studio, a climbing kiln, his house, and a gallery space, an extension he built several years ago.  He and his wife have a collection of modern furniture, ceramic artwork from friends, as well as his own artwork on display.
"When you become my age, it's normal for people start getting rid of their collection.  For us, our collection keeps getting bigger and bigger."  He told me once laughing.  This year, Malcolm turns 75 years old.  As a karatsu style potter, Malcolm is certainly among the principle artists in the history of American ceramic arts. 
 Born in Minnesota, he went to Japan in 1968 to apprentice under karatsu master and living national treasure, Tarouemon Nakazato, the 12th (Muan).  During this time, Malcolm worked together with and became heavily influenced by his fifth son, Takashi Nakazato.  In 1970, Malcolm returned to the U.S. and built a home and kiln in Vermont.

He continues his work in the style of karatsu, but in fact Malcolm is a sculptor with a certain characteristic sense.  His recent works are sculptures that are also his own personal projects.  In fact, he spoke of recently working on large acrylic sculptures.

Once looking out from his window I could see clearly three tall and narrow rocks sticking up out of the ground.  "Malcolm, what is that?" I asked. "They're rocks," he simply replied and laughed.  Now exposed to the rain and wind, moss has covered the rocks creating a beautiful surface.  To me, this is also one of his artworks.

Malcolm’s sculptures skillfully enmesh clay pieces that he puts through an extruder.  He shapes and sculpts the clay, showcasing Malcolm’s unique characteristic style.  As the process continues, he told me that it has became more complex that even he struggles to understand its meaning.

This show will focus on his bronze transformations, as well as some of the original clay forms. Of the bronze models on display, some will be at the original scale, and some will be enlarged at double the scale.  Please come and see the similarities and differences between the two materials.

Come and see the "present" Malcolm Wright at our show.
 
Rhino
Cubics Assemblage #2
These pieces are made from extruded parts that are cut apart, altered and reassembled. Sometimes you can see the original extruded and shape and sometimes not at all.
Many pieces work in more than one position there is usually more than one "right side up."
This method is slow and deliberate.
A single piece can take days, a week or a month and then crack or break in the drying or firing.
The results depend on the vagaries of the firing for color and texture.
Two Sides
Six Ways Up

So why am I interested in bronze?
When I began working in clay sculpture, the first pieces were glazed and rather shiny. I was then drawn to working with the dark, porous- appearing, rather dry, wood-fired brick clay. The bronze surface is somewhere in between, cool and hard, but not reflective.

Bronze carries a feeling of permanence. When I arrive at a form that, to my eye, appears mature, I have a desire to see it realized in bronze. Bronze leads to the possibility of small editions, and varied surface treatments. Color is variable and controllable. Finally and most important, the visual hardness of the material works for my forms.

 
- quoted from " http://theturnpikeroad.com/ "

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