Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Attain Appreciation For Natural Beauty When You Experience Modern Art Through Reclaimed Wood

By Janine Hughes


Making useful items by reclaiming materials has long been considered thrifty. For generations people recycled things to make tools and other household items necessary for living. People who lived near trees used various woods because they were available. Local craftsman have developed excellent reputations for superior artistry. The same is true for the group of artisans in Chicago, Illinois who are creating lovely art pieces using recycled bits and pieces from buildings and furnishings made long ago.

An understanding of the craftsmanship that is inherit in using this natural material in a completely new and artistic fashion comes from seeing and touching it. Appreciating modern art through reclaimed wood is a visual and tactile process. It is artists who see the ebb and flow of the lines and desire to use them beautifully. Using natural, stained or painted surfaces in combination with varied textures, many unique installations are created.

Spending some time in local galleries can become the starting point for a love affair with woods. There are local artisans displaying in Chicago who understand the subtle differences in the materials they use, creating lovely furniture and fine pieces of contemporary art. For the buyer, works for sale vary as much as artistic temperament, with many choices available.

These artists are adept at using texture, pattern and color to create exquisite works. With so many variations possible it is not surprising that their art invites human touch as well as visual appreciation. The works intrigue the mind and draw the eye to look at them.

Some craftsmen focus on developing mosaics using tiny chips and slivers. This time consuming pursuit results in appealing works that can be very large once completed. Rather than creating realistic art, the overall themes are texture, pattern and design. Skilled hands and eyes mass all the disparate pieces into collective units that are quite beautiful. Not traditional in the sense of ancient mosaics, but similar in that they are intriguing to explore close up and from far away.

Any geometric shape is possible, though at first one might think only of angular possibilities. When enough pieces are laid together, circular patterns evolve and even swirling lines take on a completely different look when compared to basic squares and triangles.

Harvesting materials that are left over after sawing lumber or cutting trees takes on a new look in the hands of the artists. Dust piles, slivers and tiny splinters are all put to good use. Some may have been part of an old building, a barn or anything made of wood. Transforming carpenter cast offs into artistic uses is what motivates the owners of many studios.

Harvesting construction discards results in repetitive geometric patterns. These have the unity of machine work. Assembling hundreds together often develops an entirely different wall surface than has been previously seen.

Woods that lived a previous life as a functional item, yet reclaimed to make something new, are satisfying materials for those passionate about recycling. This is art that is mindful of the earth and how to protect the limited resources it has. The rejected and old become valuable modern art.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment