Archive | February, 2012
Featured Snowboard by BJ Briner
23 Feb
Snowboard by BJ Briner
Artist Philosohpy
For me, the primary purpose of drawing is basically functional. It is a means of asking very real and probing questions about form, proportions, line, darks and lights as they define and describe an object or thought. When I put the answer down on a piece of paper I have a drawing. The quality of the work depends solely on the depth of my questions and the truthfulness of my answers. The insidious element, which can confuse and obscure this private dialogue, takes the form of a preoccupation with what the whole thing is going to look like when I’m finished. The act of drawing must be a conversation with myself, which elevates the work to a more meaningful and less self-conscious attitude and approach.
More information about BJ and her artwork can be found at bjbriner.com
Featured Snowboard by Gustavo Victor Goler
20 Feb
Snowboard by Gustavo Victor Goler
Gustavo Victor Goler was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico among a family of Latin American art conservators and restorers. Goler’s early years were spent apprenticing in his family’s conservation studios where he learned wood carving skills by helping conserve and restore 18th, 19th and 20th century Saints from Latin America and New Mexico. Goler began carving Santos in high school as a hobby, creating a few pieces a year that he would give to family and friends. In 1986, he opened up a small conservation studio in Santa Fe, NM where he specialized in the conservation of Santos.
In 1988, Goler was juried into Spanish Market where he has continuously showed for the past twenty four years. His high level of craftsmanship and innovative design have garnered him 24 awards which include eleven first place awards, two Best of Show awards, the Archbishop’s award, the People’s Choice award, as well as numerous 2nd Place and Design awards. Among the carvers at Spanish Market, Goler is often sought after for his advice. He has mentored developing artists, and has instructed many carvers. He has taught classes regularly for children and museum docents, and for a handful of artists that have come to his studio for long term apprenticeships.
During the last twenty five years, Goler has been involved in in-depth research of New Mexico Santeros. His research and interest has led him to study both old and contemporary Santeros from New Mexico and around the world. Along with his study of artists and their history, Goler has immersed himself in the study of the history of Saints and their iconography. His technical ability as a woodcarver and his in-depth knowledge of materials has allowed him to create pieces that have a very individual style. He continues to challenge himself by pushing further toward the limits of his art form and is known for his high level of technical proficiency and progressive ideas.
View more works by Gustavo Victor Goler, www.victorgoler.com
Gustavo Victor Goler, New Mexican sculptor and santero works with traditional carving methods and materials
Featured Paint for Peaks Snowboard by Christina Sporrong
19 Feb
Snowboard by Christina Sporrong
Artist Statement:
I was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1969, and spent the first half of my life living in Europe and Asia. I graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City with a BFA in Illustration. While I was in New York I met sculptor Linus Coraggio who showed me how to work in steel. Learning how to weld and forge completely changed my focus from editorial illustration and photography to sculpture. Working with metal became my passion. After graduating from college I moved to Seattle, Washington and enrolled in an independent study program in steel sculpture at Pratt Fine Arts. My work became a mixture of mediums, combining steel, glass, paint, photography and found objects.
When I moved to Taos, New Mexico in 1996 I opened my own commercial metal fabrication shop and smithy, Spitfire Forge. To de-mystify metal and empower other women with this medium I started teaching workshops. I have held many local Women’s Welding Workshops since 1996 in addition to annual national courses. Sometimes I flee the cold Taos winters for San Francisco, where I have worked at The Crucible , a metal arts education center in Oakland. I am a member of IATSE Local 480, and get to fabricate a variety of interesting structures for movie sets.
Somewhere along the way I found the Circus, and use aerial dance, fire arts and a range of self-made props and constructions to create unique and thought provoking performances. I have choreographed several pieces including “Amortec “, a dance between a woman on stilts and a six legged robot. The sculptural and performative process intersect for me on many levels, as witnessed through my sculpture The Heron Project . Currently I am creating custom apparatus for aerialists at Spitfire Aerial Equipment, as well as continuing to build large scale interactive sculptures for various festivals.
-Christina Sporrong
Learn more about Christina at her work at www.spitfireforge.com
