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Home » Events » The Gallery » Carved Surfaces

ELK CREEK GALLERY
Presents

"Carved Surfaces"

September 5 - October 31, 2008
Artists Reception September 20th 5pm - 7pm

Wesley Bates - Wood Engravings
Jennifer Zingg - Gourd Sculptures
Bob Gibson - Decoy Carver

This exhibit honors the collaboration between Wesley Bates and Larkspur Press.
Also on display will be the work of a few of the students he has inspired over the years here in Kentucky.

Wesley Bates Art

Wesley Bates

Wood Engravings

The images in this exhibition are Wood Engravings that create a relief print, meaning the surface of the material is cut away where no ink is intended. Ink is applied to the raised areas. Relief printing is the oldest method of making multiple images.

Wesley Bates’ method is to first develop a drawing to the exact size of the block he intends to engrave. His engraving blocks are made up of several pieces of hard, dense maple arranged so that the end grain surface becomes the working surface.

Working with a family of tools called gravers, Wesley engraves lines into the block following his drawing until he feels that he has arrived at an image that shows a proper development of form, light and texture. Wood engraving is a process that rewards patience and forethought. It is not medium that responds gracefully to spontaneity.

When the block is finished it is printed on a letterpress. Ink is applied to the relief areas of the block with a roller and pressed against the block to make the print. Wesley prefers to use Japanese papers of the Gampi variety for printing editions of his engravings.

 

 

 
Jennifer Zingg Art

 

Jennifer Zingg

Gourd Sculptures

Jennifer Zingg does not allow the gourd to dictate her compositions, instead she 'speaks' to them. She has become very acquainted with the different varieties of gourds; how to grow and clean them and where to purchase the ones she cannot grow. Beginning with a thought or inspiration she starts cutting and tacking the sculpture together with hot glue till she is happy with the structure of the piece. Then begins the application of dyes and inks, creating lustrous color and patterns that are etched over with a Dremel tool. Faces, hands, hair and feet are created using a special clay that also bonds all the pieces together. The resulting constructions generally contain anywhere from 5 to 30 different gourds or pieces of gourds within the composition. Jennifer never tires of gourds or the endless array of sculptural possibilities they provide. She is always ready to move on to the next idea and challenge.

Each fish is individually crafted so each has its own unique personality. For Ken, that’s what keeps him motivated to keep creating his whimsical and special works of art.

 

 

 
Bob Gibson Art


Bob Gibson

Decoy Carver

Bob Gibson’s sculptures begin with a block of wood harvested near his farm in Washington County, Kentucky. The wood, usually cedar but occasionally walnut or cherry, is cut into a rough profile using a band saw. Further shaping is done with a flex-shaft power tool. A wood burner defines the extremely fine detail of the feathers.

Sometimes he leaves the carvings unpainted to showcase the beauty of the wood's grain. Most often, however, they are sealed and painted with artists' acrylics. A minimum of one hundred hours is devoted to creating each of these life-size carvings.

 

 

 
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