FEATURING NEW SCULPTURE
The club has added a new piece of sculpture to its collection! It is “Jax Bench” by the late Fred Roster (1944-2017). The bench consists of three dogs sitting on a log, carved in 1980 as a gift to his mother, and cast in bronze in 1990 in an edition of 3. Fred Roster was born in Palo Alto, California in 1944. He received an MA from San Jose State University in 1968. He moved to Hawai’i the following year and continued his graduate work in sculpture. He was awarded an MFA in 1970 from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, where he joined the faculty as professor and served as chairman of the sculpture program until he retired in 2016. Sadly, he died of brain cancer in 2017.
Throughout his career, he developed a personal vocabulary that combined different materials into figurative and narrative sculptures. He drew from his knowledge of ceramics, woodcarving, and metal casting to create works that express social and human concerns. His works are in many public and private collections and he truly ranks as one of Hawaii’s most important artists. He was extremely well-loved by his students. When an MFA graduate was asked “what is your philosophy of art”, their answer “my philosophy of art is ASK FRED”, illustrates how important he was as a mentor to many, many stu- dents and artists in Hawaii. He was a generous and compassionate friend and his studio door was always open. He was passionate about nurturing the next generation of artists. His tenure at UH was marked by his commitment to fostering creativity and critical thinking in his students. He believed in the power of art to transform perspectives and encourage dialogue, a belief that resonated through his teaching and his body of work. Fred was also a co-found- er of the popular traveling International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition, which mixed small-scale works by local and international artists. According to Fred, the dogs in Jax Bench “serve as a metaphor for human change, from the quizzical nervous, seated pup to the proud show dog, and finally the portrait of relaxed comfort that comes with experience and wisdom”. “Jax” is the name of his mother’s kennel where she raised her line of champion schnauzers in Angel’s Camp, Califor- nia. The “Jax Bench” is a prime example of Roster’s ability to merge the everyday with the extraordinary. Crafted from durable materials, this piece serves both as a functional bench and a sculptural statement. The bench’s dynamic structure encourages interaction, making it not only a visual delight, but also a tactile experience. Although he originally created the wood-carved bench as a gift for his mother, during its execution he was convinced by a good friend to cast the bench in a bronze edition of 3. One was sold to a private collection, one to a hotel on Maui, and the 3rd is at the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Stop by the tennis courts soon to welcome the newest acquisition the Club has made to intrigue and delight our members! Author - Sharon Twigg-Smith
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