Hello
I sincerely hope you enjoy the works displayed on these pages as much as I enjoy creating them. I have had a passion for mobiles for many years and my own home is filled with my work. I hope you find them fascinating, cheerful, and soothing and want one of your own. More recently I have taken to woodturning. There are many similarities to the creative process in both mediums. I have tried to answer many Frequently Asked Questions about my work in the FAQ section. If you have any other questions use the Contact page and I will answer them as quickly as possible.
Like most all artists/sculptors who create mobiles, I have been tremendously inspired and informed by the work of Alexander Calder, the great American artist who invented and popularized the mobile as fine art. The genius of Alexander Calder resulted in the creation of thousands of objects over a long career.
It is extremely difficult to make mobiles that don’t have some resemblance to or that are not influenced in some way by Alexander Calder – including my own. I have traveled to see as much of his work as possible and have gathered an extensive collection of solo and group exhibition catalogues, monographs, books, and magazine articles pertaining to Alexander Calder.
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Like most all artists/sculptors who create mobiles, I have been tremendously inspired and informed by the work of Alexander Calder, the great American artist who invented and popularized the mobile as fine art. The genius of Alexander Calder resulted in the creation of thousands of objects over a long career.
It is extremely difficult to make mobiles that don’t have some resemblance to or that are not influenced in some way by Alexander Calder – including my own. I have traveled to see as much of his work as possible and have gathered an extensive collection of solo and group exhibition catalogues, monographs, books, and magazine articles pertaining to Alexander Calder.
In recent years, I have developed an additional interest in woodturning. I design and create segmented woodturning objects that are often influenced by Native American basket and rug weavers. This involves interpreting their designs into what is possible to do in wood. I am currently working on projects that combine wood turned elements in the construction of mobiles and stabiles. In the process I enjoy using many exotic and beautiful wood species in my work. In the area of woodturning I have been greatly influenced by Malcolm Tibbetts and Ray Allen who do such beautiful and creative work in segmented wood turning. Now that I have retired from my primary occupation, working with people who have developmental and behavioral challenges, I can devote my time to the artistic pursuits that I enjoy so
My Story
I have been working with my hands and with tools for as long as I can remember. My interest in art and sculpture came later. As a child I would make things all the time and had my own toolbox. During high school I enjoyed all my shop and art classes and always was able to get A’s, which was a nice balance to some of the grades in courses I didn’t enjoy quite as much. These interests led me to a major in Industrial Arts Education at the University of Minnesota. While at the University, I focused my studies on the areas of graphic arts, woodworking, metalworking, and photography. I minored in Special Education with a specialty in developmental disabilities.
Upon graduation in 1968, the Special Education minor won out when I was faced with the real life decision of “making a living”, but the ability to work with my hands and with tools continued to be a major interest and brought great satisfaction. In 1978, I visited an art exhibition that was to be a “life changing event” for me – the Calder’s Universe Exhibition. I was absolutely captivated by Calder’s work and his ingenious designs, whimsical imagination, and creative use of materials. That captivation has never subsided whether the medium is metal or as now, wood.
It was at that moment in 1978 that I decided to dedicate my creative energy and skill to making mobiles and stabiles and other “Sculpture in Motion”. In 2012 my interest expanded to woodturning. I have made several hundred moving sculptures over the years and recently many wood turned vessels and other objects. I have exhibited at several galleries over the years and I am now showing at the Nina Kuzina Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee and the Faust Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona as well as the new Faust Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Being an artist and sculptor most of my time. I still do some work in the field which was earlier my full time career, working on behalf of people with developmental disabilities and children with behavioral health challenges and their families. I am extremely lucky in that I have two wonderful areas of interest and expertise that keep me extremely busy and keep the creative juices flowing.