a world he grew up in and became very passionate about, and sculpture gave him an avenue for sharing that passion and joy with others. “It was the tactile nature of the medium and the permanence,” said Curt, sculpture, oil and watercolor artist. “The idea of creating work that would impact people for generations to come and could be experienced in three dimensions was just too much not to try.” Though Curt also paints, as he be- gan sculpting and even studying how and why different art impacted him, he noticed that sculpture simply offers a more emotional and rich experience. “When you tell a story about the horsemen and women of the West, sculpture allows you to see and experience it with an intimacy that is only available because of its tactile nature,” he said. “Looking can certainly grab our emotions, but being able to touch the surface and to put yourself in the same place as the hands that modeled the piece in a very literal way, makes it a more emotional experi- ence. That ability makes the time spent with the piece profoundly more meaningful.” Using the medium as the message Communications theorist Marshall McLuhan famously said, “The medium is the message,” and for sculpture art- ists, their chosen medium and subject matter are foundational to the story they are aiming to convey. Artist Bryce Pettit uses specific ani -
be finished in brighter colors whereas a sculpture meant to have a quieter feel, will have soft and warm tones. But the finish and subject matter al- ways come after Bryce has determined the message or emotion he’s looking to express. “I can tell any story using animals as the medium,” Bryce said. “To me, animals are the perfect subject that you can tell any story, that you can express any emotion, and have it be the perfect metaphor for our human connection. The amazing diversity of animals in the world gives me an endless palette with which I can explore artistic compositions and express any idea.” For example, because eagles often evoke a sense of patriotism and majesty, Bryce uses those built-in emotions to express a feel- ing of power or strength. In contrast, he might use the softer shapes of a fox to tell a quiet story or the whimsical appearance of a jackrabbit to express fun. Sculpture artist Gedion Nyanhongo takes a slight- ly different approach. He lets the material tell him
creating connection
through
sculpture
Sculpture garden featuring works from Gedion Nyanhongo and Ryan Schmidt at the Celebration of Fine Art
O n the surface, it seems what constitutes sculpture art could be easily defined. But, peel back the layers, and you discover “sculpture” is far from a fixed term. In fact, the scope of it has evolved significantly since the start of the 20th century. Prior to the 1900s, sculpture was largely representational, often por- traying or imitating human figures, animals and other inanimate objects. Sculptures in these earlier centuries also typically adhered to a specific size, shape and mobility. In more recent decades, artists began to challenge the traditional rules of sculpture, com- pletely redefining what constitutes a sculpture. As a result, we now have non-representational, abstract and kinetic sculpture that invite viewers to experience this three-dimensional art form in new ways. Techniques and mediums have also expanded well beyond the carving and modeling of stone, metal, wood and clay, to now include near infinite forming methods and alternative materials. Indeed, there is much to explore when it comes to sculptural art, whether it's through the time-test- ed traditional methods and materials, or modern innovations and interpre- tations. Regardless of the technique, materi- al or period in which the sculpture was formed, however, one universal truth
has remained: sculpture is a powerful medium for storytelling. Documenting history through sculpture The history of sculpture remains somewhat disputed, but there’s little disagreement about the importance of the clues relic sculptures have provided about various cultures and periods throughout history. In fact, the two oldest-known sculptures, Löwen- mensch, which translates to “Lion Man”, and Venus of Hohle Fels, helped archeologists stitch together stories about that era and the Aurignacian culture that occupied parts of Germa- ny approximately 40,000 ago. From the figurative sculptures that
of cultures, animals, places, and past civilizations, the three-dimensional and tactile nature of sculpture offers us a way to connect in a much differ- ent way than afforded by other art forms. Even in centuries-old sculptures, the messages and emotions imbued in those pieces have managed to stand the test of time. There’s a permanence to sculpture and that immutability is part of what attracts many artists to the art form. The idea of preservation and per- manence is what drew artist Curt Mattson to sculpture. He wanted to leave a historically accurate record of the buckaroo, and the horsemen and horsewomen of the West. It was
mals, materials and patinas to convey messag-
es and emo- tions, as well
as accentuate feelings. For in- stance, a playful, fun piece might
primarily domi- nated the Meso- lithic period to the monumental sculptures of pha- raohs and rulers in Egypt and Mes- opotamia, and the petroglyphs of North America, sculptures have served as a bridge of sorts between modern-day and bygone societies. Not only do they convey the stories
“The idea of creating work that would impact people for generations to come and could be experienced in three dimensions was just too much not to try.” -Curt Mattson
Top right: "Grace- ful Bird" by Gedion Nyanhongo. Bottom right: Gedion Nyanhon- go, pictured in the Celebration of Fine Art scupture garden, chisels away at Zim- babwe spring stone to reveal the story within the stone. Bottom left: Stain- less steel sculpture by Ryan Schmidt.
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Issue 2 | Fall 2023
Issue 2 | Fall 2023
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