Kevin Wallace is an independent curator who has worked with the Los Angeles Departments of Cultural Affairs, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Craft & Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles. Terry Martin is a practicing wood artist and has written more than 200 articles for 12 journals in seven countries.
"New Masters of Woodturning - Expanding the boundaries of art" A
review By Judson Randall In the introduction to their new book "New
Masters of Woodturning," an extraordinary compendium of sketches of
wood-turning artists, authors Terry Martin and Kevin Wallace say
they are inspired by and appreciative of the "willingness of
everyone to share their ideas, techniques and joy in what they do."
Now we, the viewers, writers, collectors, curators, students and
makers involved in the lathe-turned art field should feel
appreciation and inspiration because of how Martin and Wallace have
provided contemporary detail and insight into these 31
international artists and their work. Martin, of Brisbane,
Australia, is a turner and sculptor whose work has been in scores
of exhibitions and in dozens of collections, public and private. He
is a curator, lecturer and writer involved in the field over many
years. His 1995 book, "Wood Dreaming," is the only documentation of
Australian woodturners. Until 2006, he was a writer for and editor
of "Turning Points," the Wood Turning Center's unique journal of
the lathe-turned art field. Wallace of Los Angeles is a board of
directors member of Collectors of Wood Art and an advisory board
member for the Handweavers Guild of America. A curator of many
California exhibitions and a writer on the contemporary art field,
Wallace is the author of seven previous books, including
biographical expositions of artists and examinations of trends in
contemporary craft art. He was associated with del Mano Gallery in
Pasadena for many years. Their book picks up where previous
chroniclers of artistic woodturning - Dona Z. Meilach in 1976, Dale
Nish in 1985 and the growing coverage of the field by "Fine
Woodworking" -- left off. Today, there are several publications
that cover the lathe-turned art field, including the American
magazine "Woodwork", the "American Woodturner", and the Wood
Turning Center's "Turning Points" as well as its exhibition books
documenting its breakthrough "challenges" and other exhibitions.
However, "New Masters" is a singular catalog of the lives,
educations, artistic approaches and techniques of a broad
international selection of the artists who will do for the 21st
century what the old masters did for the 20th. Martin and Wallace
pay tribute to the founders of the modern lathe-turning field,
including David Ellsworth, Stephen Hogbin, Bob Stocksdale, James
Prestini, Mark Lindquist, Ed Moulthrop, Rude Osolnick, Al Stirt,
Ray Key and Richard Raffan. As a testament to their energy and
scope, the authors cast a broad net, bringing in the artists from
nine countries on the continents of North America, Europe, Africa
and Australia. Each of these artists' works is not just
representative of his or her country but examples of the cultural
influences of the continent or region in which they make art. For
example, Virginia Dotson, whose laminated and layered works reflect
her Arizona domain. "I am intrigued by the features of the
landscape and what they reveal about the past," she said. "New
Masters" is lavishly illustrated with photographs of the artists,
their surroundings, their shops, and selected studio photographs of
their works, as well as explanatory photographs of many of their
techniques. The photographs are either supplied by the artists or
shot by a variety of other photographers. Among the expository
technical photographic layouts is the illustrative sequence on how
Peter Hromek, a Czech who moved to Germany, created the
multiple-axis "Paradise," a sensual three-lobed work, in 2007. We
readers are treated to Martin's and Wallace's explorations of many
aspects of the artists included in this catalog of the "New
Masters." We learn, for example, what inspires the makers and how
they came to engage in their artistic pursuits: To take one, we
learn that William Moore, an Oregon artist who combines spun metal
with his wood forms and sculptures, is one of few art-school-
educated turners. A sculptor by education, he was inspired by Henry
Moore and design movements such as Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts and
Bauhaus. And Michael Hosaluk of Saskatchewan, Canada, describes his
beginnings as: "I was born among people who use their hands." His
inspirations, we learn, include the "art of unknown artists from
ancient cultures whose work lives on in museums." A second
exploration that Martin and Wallace bring to us is the artists'
current approaches to their works, what informs their expressive
intent and their way of carrying it out. For example, Ron Layport
of Pittsburgh, who, like Hosaluk, is inspired by "works made a
thousand years ago that speak of personal struggle, daily life,
mystery and ceremony," tells the authors that he approaches his
highly sculptural works "like a canvas. Even though I know what I
am hoping to achieve, I try to be receptive to opportunities and
changes of direction as they present themselves." And yet, we are
told about Hayley Smith's approach to her intricately textured and
surface-sculpted works: The Arizona artist who spent most of her
life in Wales, told Martin and Wallace - referring to wood -- that
"I like the challenge of finding the balance between its existing
character and what I can add to it. It is, after all, not a blank
canvas." The third exploration that Martin and Wallace share with
us readers is the artists' techniques for achieving their completed
work. Many viewers of lathe-turned art, which can often hide its
lathe-turned origins, look at a sculpture and say to themselves,
"How did she do that?" Practitioners and hangers-on in the
lathe-turned art world always want to discern the processes that
lead to the expression, even though the artists might want the
final product to be the only voice speaking. The significant
achievement of "New Masters of Woodturning" is that, in many cases,
it exposes the tricks and techniques that produced the final,
resolved work. Besides the sidebar layout of Peter Hromek's
creation of "Paradise," the book gives us, for example, an
explanation of how Louise Hibbert, a British artist who now lives
in Virginia, achieves her expression of natural beauty in a piece
that comes to be the balance and form of an apparent seed pod. On
the whole, "New Masters of Woodturning - Expanding the Boundaries
of Wood Art" is a valuable reference and a delight to read. The
writing is straight-forward and clear and it brings to life the
artists who are blazing new trails for wood turners of all levels
of ability. The book also includes a glossary, a list of wood
turning organizations, and a list of further readings. Judson
Randall of Oregon is a professional editor and writer with more
than 40 years experience on newspapers and is editor of Wood
Turning Center publications.
About the Authors: Terry Martin is a wood artist, curator and
commentator on wood art. During the last 20 years, he has taken
part in 80 exhibitions in seven countries and his work is part of
many large private and public collections devoted to wood art.
Martin is the author of Wood Dreaming, published in 1995, the only
book ever produced on Australian woodturning. From 1999 to 2006,
Martin was editor-inchief of the woodturning journal, Turning
Points, the only journal dedicated solely to wood art, and is
currently a contributing editor to Woodwork magazine. Martin has
written more than 200 articles on wood art published in 12 journals
in seven countries. Kevin Wallace is an independent curator and
writer, focusing on contemporary art in craft media. He is a member
of the board of directors of Collectors ofWood Art and on the
advisory board of the Handweavers Guild of America.He is a
contributing editor for American Woodturner and Shuttle, Spindle &
Dyepot and a regular contributor to Craft Arts International
(Australia) and Woodturning magazine (England), writing about
contemporary art in craft media (wood, ceramic and fiber) and wood
artists.Wallace is the author of seven previous books. About the
Book: Meet 31 contemporary artists pushing the boundaries of a
classic craft.They are from different parts of the world, but share
a common passion: turning wood into sculptural forms of
self-expression. In this groundbreaking book, 31 innovative
artists-the New Masters of Woodturning- share their amazing turning
techniques and the inspiration that fuels their distinctive
designs. You'll see each artist at work- in their studios, homes
and at the lathe-and discover why their stunning work is considered
to be preeminent in the respective fields of woodturning and modern
art. A gallery of beautiful photographs displaying breathtaking
vessels, bowls, platters and more-many of which have never been
published-accompanies each profile. This book looks beyond the
surface of the wood and into the vision and mind of the artist,
providing insights that offer a captivating and important
perspective of turn-of-the-century art and craft. The global roster
includesVaughn Richmond and Neil Scobie of Australia; Michael
Hosaluk, Stephen Kennart and Marilyn Campbell of Canada; Louise
Hibbert and Hayley Smith of England; Alain Mailland,
TheirryMartenon, Christophe Nancey and Marc Ricourt of France;
Peter Hromek and Hans Weissflog of Germany; Liam Flynn of Ireland;
Rolly Munro and Graeme Priddle of New Zealand; Butch Smuts of South
Africa; andVirginia Dotson, Harvey Fein, J. Paul Fennell, Ron
Fleming, Mark Gardner, Dewey Garrett, Ron Layport, Michael Lee,
Michael Mode, WilliamMoore, Binh Pho, Betty Scarpino, David Sengel
and JacquesVesery of the United States.
Book Picks by the Editors New Masters of Woodturning A collection
of groundbreaking work from 31 masters including noted Canadian
turners Michael Hosaluk, Stephen Kennard and Marilyn Campbell .
Discusses their signature styles and exciting new techniques .
Gallery of 396 superb photos . 216 pages, 8 1.2" x 11" . ISBN:
1565233344 (softcover $20.76), 1565233751 (hardcover $48.48)
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com 800-457-9112 Available from:
www.Amazon.ca or order through your local bookseller
BOOK REVIEW: NEW MASTERS OF WOODTURNING Expanding the Boundaries of
Woodturning Joseph M. Herrmann 1882 St. Rt. 45, No. Rock Creek,
Ohio 44084 440-563-5785 latheturner@alltel.net INTRODUCTION: Dale
Nish wrote Master Woodturners and when it was published in 1986, it
was one of the first times that anyone attempted to document the
procedures used by the finest turners in the United States and
England at the time. Dale used black and white photographs to
illustrate, step by step, the techniques used to produce their
signature pieces and it was probably the closest that most amateur
turners would ever get to this august group. Symposiums as we know
them today were just getting started and the American Association
of Woodturners had not yet been officially formed when Dale wrote
the book. Featured were nine turners (they were yet to be called
artists) and included David Ellsworth, Ray Key, Mark Lindquist,
Melvin Lindquest, Ed Moulthrop, Rude Olsolnik, Richard Raffan, Al
Stirt, and Jack Straka. That was then, but this is now. Turning is
currently undergoing a transition from purely functional items made
with the lathe as the principal tool and the grain of the wood as
the primary focus. Today, the lathe might be the first machine
employed by the artist but the work now undergoes significant
manipulation using many other tools. For example, the wood is
textured, burned, carved, re-cut and painted and the final result
might bear little resemblance to the original form that came off
the lathe. The field is fraught with many innovative techniques and
procedures that are fast becoming the norm and the artists featured
in New Master Woodturner's are on the cutting edge of the movement.
AUTHOR CREDENTIALS: The authors, Terry Martin and Kevin Wallace,
have impeccable credentials and both are seriously involved the
wood art field. For example, Terry Scott has been a professional
wood artist for over twenty years and has written over 200 articles
that have been published in twelve journals in seven different
countries. Kevin Wallace has curated exhibits for many prestigious
galleries and museums and has written seven previous books, one
being "River of Destiny: The Life and Work of Binh Pho". ARTISTS
INCLUDED: The full color, 216 page, hardcover book features
thirty-one respected artists who are pushing the boundaries and are
defining the evolution of woodturning from functionality to art. A
brief historical background is provided for each of the different
artists that provides an insight into their inspirations and
philosophies, discusses where they were trained and who were their
influences, describes where and how they work, and includes several
gallery photographs of current and past works. There are some
familiar and not so familiar names from around the world and
include fourteen Americans, two Australians, three Canadians, two
New Zealanders, one South African, four Frenchmen, two Germans and
two Brits. Featured are: Marilyn Campbell, Virginia Dotson, Harvey
Fein, J. Paul Fennell, Ron Fleming, Liam Flynn, Mark Gardner, Dewey
Garret, Louise Hibbert, Michael Holsaluk, Peter Hromek, Steven
Kennard, Ron Layport, Mike Lee, Alain Milland, Thierry Martenon,
Michael Mode, William Moore, Rolly Munro, Christophe Nancey, Binh
Pho, Graeme Priddle, Vaugh Richmond, Marc Ricout, Betty Scarpino,
Neil Scobie, David Sengel, Hayley Smith, Butch Smuts, Jacques
Vesery, and Hans Weissflog. FINAL THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: New
Master Woodturners introduces the reader to current trends and
modern innovations as well as providing a historical perspective on
the woodturning movement that strives to introduce contemporary
woodturning to a wider audience. It isn't often that I sit down and
read a new book from cover to cover in one evening. However, this
is what happened when I picked up New Master Woodturners. Perhaps I
am a dinosaur in the contemporary woodturning field in that I am
still drawn to and prefer unadorned and un-manipulated forms and
turnings where functionality is still important. However, I
recognize that things are changing and I can respect that. New
Masters of Woodturning is recommended to every turner who even has
a passing interest in new trends and for those who are looking for
new inspirations. Just the photographs of current works and those
depicting the artist at work alone justify purchase. Terry Martin
and Kevin Wallace. New Master Woodturning. Fox Chapel Publishing,
2008. 216 pages, hard and soft cover $29.95, ISBN #:
978-1-56523-334-8 (paper); 978-1-56523-375-1 (hardcover)
In 1985, Dale Nish published 'Master Woodturners' to celebrate the
innovative leaders of the field. Authors Martin and Wallace have
jumped ahead a generation to showcase new artists, new technologies
and new works of art. From Australia, Canada, England, France,
Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States,
thirty-one wood artists show their finest efforts and talk freely
about influences, design ideas, lifestyles and where they are
headed in the future. Much of this new work is highly sculptural,
but as Ron Layport puts it, "The turned form must be valid before I
proceed with sculpting." In the Introduction, the authors say,
"Much of the wood art in this book inverts the truism that turned
work is round. The lathe is merely the beginning, with additional
off-lathe processing to come." The technical challenge in producing
these works is amazing. Several turners show a series of photos on
how they work: hollowing on three axes using wedges and straps to
mount an irregular burl, or steaming and bending turned work over a
curved form.
The depth, texture, and sensuality of wood in the hands of artists
transforms our static notions of wood in this book. As you would
desire to hold, to stroke, to peer into and through each piece in
this volume, you will also return many times to this book to
discover new meanings for "resonance" and "movement." If this book
was a food, it could be toasted artisan bread with ivy honey and
melting butter.
This is an amazing collection that will inspire many a wood turner
and is a "must have" for any woodworkers' library.
This just published book is a treasure that we believe you will
want to own. The authors have selected 31 leading woodturning
artists and bring you into their studios where they share
techniques and the creative processes behind their deisgns. Artists
such as Virginia Dodson, Binh Pho, Harvey Fein, Paul Fennell, and
Marilyn Campbell are among those whose works are given
studio-quality photographic treatment. It is a large format book (8
1/2' x 11") with a wealth of stunning full color inmages.
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