July 1, 2014
The long days of midsummer can lead you to believe that time is endless and mysterious. And what could last longer, or hold more secrets, than stone? Beginning in the creative mind, and traveling through to the capable hands of a sculptor, Sue Taves coaxes the stones to give up their secrets. If painting is a product of addition, sculpting stone is one of subtraction. Knowing what to remove and what to keep is the riddle that a sculptor must solve, in order to make the vision in their mind, translate to the form in front of them. Knowing when to keep the rough, natural character of a rock, and when the bend the surface to replicate the fluidity of water, is Sue Taves’ particular gift.
Sue is having a busy summer and you can see new sculptures featured in the group show, “Jason Waskey & Garden Garnishes: Sculptures for the Garden,” at Brackenwood Gallery in July (July 5-28). More new work will be at the lovely Froggwell Gardens during the Froggwell Biennale Aug. 1-3, and she’ll be at her Freeland studio for the Whidbey Working Artists Summer Art Tour on August 23/ 24 and 29-31.
Find her work on her website and at the galleries that represent her:
http://www.suetavessculpture.com
http://www.trilliumhomeanddesign.com – In Langley
http://www.brackenwoodgallery.com – In Langley
http://www.matzkefineart.com/ – Camano Island
Anne Belov is a painter, printmaker, cartoonist, and designated bad influence. In addition to curating the Virtual Gallery, Belov also blogs for Whidbey Life Magazine, organizes the Froggwell Biennale, is the author of four collections of The Panda Chronicle cartoons, and the soon to be released children’s book, Pandamorphosis, published by Leaping Panda Press. You can find her paintings at The Rob Schouten Gallery and her cartoons at http://yourbrainonpandas.com
Sue Taves
Artists Statement
I start with an idea or particular stone that interests me and start sculpting and see where it goes. Each stone has its own story to tell and the carving process is about discovering that story. When carving, I try to capture the natural essence of the stone in my design and discover cohesive forms that use shape and texture to translate feelings, create moods, and invite people to be drawn in.
Some sculptures develop as a part of a series of work, like the “Rain” series, which celebrates this ubiquitous feature of the Pacific Northwest. Other pieces are explorations of a particular material or concept. I generally work on multiple stones at any one time so there are sculptures in various stages of completion scattered around my studio.
Over the past 7 years I have begun creating large-scale sculpture in granite and basalt that can stay outdoors in any weather. Exploring this new scale of work and the backdrop of the outdoors has been exciting and has also been a great opportunity to discover new tools and learn new skills. I also continue to work in softer stone, working by hand and creating smaller, more intimate sculpture especially when the weather is less inviting for working outdoors.
Sue Taves Bio
Sue blends a unique combination of movement and spirit in each of her sculptures. Originally from the Midwest, Sue moved west to California in 1990 where she enrolled in a series of sculpture classes that drew her more deeply into her art and introduced her to new techniques and mediums.
In 1993, she was transformed by the experience of carving her first stone. The experience of expressing movement in a medium so strong and rich in history was irresistible. In 1995 began to devote more time to her passion for sculpting and now works full time transforming stone into fluid forms. In 2004, Sue moved to Whidbey Island where she happily makes dust in her studio in Freeland.
For more information on any of this work or to find out where this work is showing, please contact the artist. All work is original and copyrighted by the artist. All photos are by Michael Stadler of Stadler Studio.
