SCULPTURAL DRAWINGS
The sculptural drawings evoke a contemplative feeling through raw yet elegant line and form. Each work creates a contemporary, free flowing brushstroke with an archetypal presence. The tree-choking bittersweet provides a lyrical substance that is whittled down to its bone-like core. The sea-worn cedar takes on a flat-brushed elegant stroke. The copper patina has a surface quality that is beautifully seasoned by time. The weathered surfaces have inspired the hand-blended coloring on the wood.
Though they appear found, each piece has gone through a labor-intensive process to make it look naturally formed. First, the individual pieces of wood are scavenged and carefully edited, then stripped of bark and whittled down to their core. The "brushstrokes" are sanded, cut, redirected and reattached using mortise and tenon or dowels, sanded some more, and painted with a careful blending of colors. The circular form, "Coming Home," for example, has 24 joints to create its spiral.
Upon moving to Northampton in 1997 I was immediately attracted to the gestural bittersweet that grows along the nearby Mill River. My art work, both indoor and outdoor, is inspired by my desire to bring linear gestural drawing out into space, by the play of shadows upon the wall, by my love of Japanese calligraphy and aesthetic, by my meditation practice, and by nature itself.
Each piece is a journey - a transformation of local, natural and discarded materials refined into its true essence. The harmonizing shadows cast by the sculpture allow it to become more alive. The ladder, for example, is a transcendental symbol - always exploring, reaching, and connecting, yet making time to stand still, rest and just be.
Mary Ann Kelly