Works of 3-D Form

Introduction

T

his volume of my assembled works differs from the other volumes of my eLibrary in multiple ways. It does not present writings from my academic career but displays artifacts that I created either as an escape from professional labors or following my retirement from academia. Rather than describing the design of immaterial software or theories, it presents photographs of and comments about physical objects—mostly sculptures—which I fashioned out of materials like wood and clay.

There are chapters on the following aesthetic creations and approaches:

My wood sculptures from 1976 to the present. Wood sculpture has been my primary artistic endeavor during my adult life. Every few years, I did a couple pieces. In retirement, I have been more productive.

Clay sculptures and pottery from 1970 to the present. As a young child, my mother taught me basic pottery. I enjoyed occasionally working in clay in my 20s and always looked forward to doing more. I felt that the medium of abstract clay sculpture had much more potential than was represented in the art world, even though clay may be considered one of the oldest surviving artistic media in the world. The universality of clay work may be attributed to its combination of utility and beauty. Retirement has allowed me to explore ceramic sculpture in my own studio as well as to take pottery lessons at local art centers.

My houses, which I helped to design with Carol in Philadelphia, Boulder, Philadelphia and Chatham in about 1978, 1997, 2004 and 2015. Having designed the Chatham house incorporating many species of wood, I was eager to create wooden furniture to go with the house. The house was designed in 2014/15 and built in 2015/16. I constructed the furniture in 2016/17, and the house was landscaped at that time as well. In 2017/18, I turned my basement furniture shop into a productive sculpture studio.

Reflections on organic form from nature. I strive to create asymmetrical, flowing, sensuous, organic forms whose structures are often inspired from human forms, animal shapes and other organisms or natural objects. Living by the ocean, I have sculpted some forms that I found on the beach. I am fascinated with the sophistication of sculptures dating back far into pre-history. I have made a few sculptures based on such works, as well as studies of modern sculptors.

Thoughts on opening up space. While my first wood sculptures followed closely the original solid form of their logs, I increasingly worked on opening up the mass of wood to peer inside and to create internal spaces, interconnected openings and negative 3-D forms. Here I collect views of several of my sculptures to illustrate possibilities for opening up, and to indicate the development of my approach to this.

The practice of sculpting 3-D form in wood. This section documents the succession of techniques and tools I have often used in my wood sculpture, illustrated with photos from the creation of several different works.

A chronological catalog of all my sculptural works, numbering over two hundred all together, of diverse sizes, themes, forms and materials.

*  *  *

Keep up to date with my sculpture by downloading the latest version of the e-book (pdf) at: http://gerrystahl.net/elibrary/form/form.pdf. The pdf is formatted the same as the printed version. The digital format allows me to continuously add my latest items to the catalog and other chapters. Viewing the pdf allows you to search the text and zoom in on details of the sculptures.

Further information about this volume is available at: http://gerrystahl.net/elibrary/form. Versions for Kindle (mobi) and iBooks (epub) can be downloaded there, although they are not as up-to-date and well formatted as the pdf.

Go to: https://gerrystahl.net/sculpture to open a webpage with videos of many of my sculptures. They display the sculpture slowly turning 360º. The videos are brief – mostly about half a minute. The videos are organized into five groupings:

Videos of some of my wood carvings. A catalog of my wood carvings is available at:https://gerrystahl.net/sculpture/carvings.

Videos of some of my abstract ceramic sculptures,modeled in clay and fired.

Videos of some of my modernist ceramic sculptures, inspired by Rodin, Degas, Brancusi, Giacometti, Heppenworth, Moore.

Videos of some of my pre-Columbian and prehistoric ceramic sculptures, based on artifacts.

Videos of some of my realistic sculptures of the human body, based on live or photographed models.

The videos help to display the 3-D form, the opening up of the material, and the play of positive and negative space as discussed in this book. The videos are silent. You can make the video full screen by clicking on the square icon in the lower right corner of the video image. To return from full screen, click on the same icon or press the ESC key.

Contents

Introduction      5

Contents      7

1. Sculpture: 3-D Form from Wood      17

Gelassenheit (1976)      18

Twisted Sister (1977)      20

Atomic Power (1983)      22

The Owl of Minerva (1995)      23

Female Torso (1995)      24

Common Senses (1996)      25

Boulders (1996)      26

Bird in Flight (2012)      27

Lap Sculpture (2012)      28

Feminine Twist (2012)      29

Hermaphrodite (2012)      30

A Sly Eye (2012)      31

Spirit of Cape Cod (2014)      32

Upright Cherry Figure (2014)      33

Cycladic Baby (2015)      34

Valdivian Owl in Tree (2017)      35

Hickory Bivalve (2017)      36

Mrs. Mayo (2018)      37

Sarasota Sea Shell (2018)      38

Long Bird in Flight (2018)      39

Bite of the Apple (2019)      40

Sea Goddess of the Cape (2019)      41

Hinged Forms (2019)      42

Return of the Osprey (2019)      43

Angel of Progress (2020)      44

Saddle Curve (2020)      45

Pod (2020)      46

Reclining Man: Holes (2020)      47

Three-Tiered Structure (2022)      48

Globe Structure (2022)      49

Cedar Man (2022)      50

Honey Drip (2022)      51

Cherry Twist (2022)      52

Con-Struction (2023)      53

Tupelo Honey  (2023)      55

Purple Heart Flame  (2023)      56

Entwined  (2024)      57

Entwined #2 (2024)      58

Driftwood  (2024)      59

Tower  (2024)      60

2. Ceramics: 3-D Form from Clay      62

Ceramic Sculpture      62

Paleolithic and Prehistoric Figure Series      65

Pre-Columbian Figure Series      74

Giacometti Studies Series      80

Negative Structures Series      84

Figurative Modeling Series      90

Irina Portrait      92

Female Torso      93

Chatham Sunbather      94

Torso of Tony      95

Seated Figure      96

Suzanne Figure      97

Nicole Torso      98

Irina Torso      99

Nicole Reclining Figure      100

Torso of Adam      101

Torso of Susanna      102

Marney Reclining      103

Facial Portrait Series      104

Irina Portrait      105

Ruby at 2      106

Self-portrait: Keynote      107

Nietzsche Mask      108

Einstein Mask      109

Ora Asleep      110

Ora Awake      111

Portrait of Giacometti      112

Eight Ceramic Mask Selfies      113

Josiah Mayo      114

William Nickerson      115

Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man      116

Mask of Ora at 3      117

Self Portrait of Gerry at 79      118

Portrait of Carol      119

Colorado Blue Eyes      120

Sea Forms Series      121

Pottery Classes      126

My Mother’s Pottery      126

Pottery Class #1      127

Pottery Class #2      128

Pottery Class #3      129

Pottery Class #4      130

Pottery Class #5      131

Pottery Class #6      133

Pottery Class #7      133

Pottery Class #8      135

Pottery Class #9      136

Casting in Plaster      137

Cold Casting in Bronze      144

Photography of Ceramics and Sculpture      155

3. Architecture: 3-D Form for Living      157

A Home in the Desert      157

A Home in the City      159

A Home by the Sea      160

End Tables and Coffee Tables      164

Shaker Bench      164

Desk for Zake’s High-School Bedroom      165

Bench for Deck      166

Z End Table      167

Octagon End Table      168

Octagon Library Table      169

Shelves for Bathtub      170

Octagon Stool      171

TV Table      172

Studio Ceramics Worktable      173

Table for Wilma & Jeb      174

Bench for Ruby      175

Built-in House Fixtures      176

Living-room Mantle      177

Library Ship’s Ladder      181

Photo Display Board      182

Headboard with Waves      183

Bookcases      184

Philosophy Bookcases      184

Library Bookcases      185

Study Bookcases      187

Basement Bookcases      188

Bookracks      189

4. Reflections: Philosophy of 3-D Form      191

Thoughts on Organic Form from Nature      191

The Working of a Work of Art      192

Space is the Place      192

Making Reality Visible      192

Mass Production      192

Natural Evolution      193

The Manufactured Environment      193

Organic Form      193

Biomorphic Form and Cubism      194

Rodin Working on Works      195

Degas’s Dancers      195

Giacometti’s Plaster Sculptures      196

Realistic Sculpture      197

Eye and Mind      198

A Heideggerian View of Sculpture      200

Pre-historic Sculpture      203

The Tübingen Venus      204

The Valdivian Owl      206

The Cycladic Figure      207

Pre-Columbian Sculpture      211

Modern Sculpture      213

Brancusi Simplicity      213

Moore Forms      214

Studies of Giacometti      216

Topology of 3-D Form      218

5. Space: Opening Up 3-D Form      223

6. Practice: Sculpting 3-D Form in Wood      245

Tools and Techniques      245

Creating a Set of Oak Sculptures      251

Creating an Open Cherry Trunk      256

Creating an Upright Cherry Figure      258

Opening Up an English Plane Log      265

Creating an Angel in Space      269

Con-Struction in Museum of Art Exhibit      276

7.      Catalog: Chronology of Works in 3-D Form      281

Musicians      281

Plaster Maquette      282

The Hand of God      283

Model of Part of Moore’s 3-Piece Figure      284

Gelassenheit      285

Twisted Sister      286

Ben’s Letter Holder      287

Organic Form      288

Clenched Fist      289

The Letter R      290

Atomic Power      291

The Owl of Minerva      292

Female Torso      293

Common Senses      294

Sandstone Face      295

Boulders…      296

Rocky Mountain      297

Rocky Couple      298

Bird in Flight      299

Lap Sculpture      300

Feminine Twist      301

Hermaphrodite      302

A Sly Eye      303

Spirit of Cape Cod      304

Upright Cherry Figure      305

Cycladic Baby      306

Valdivian Owl      307

Valdivian Owl in Tree      308

Hickory Bivalve      309

Reclining Figure: Holes Model      310

Chacmool …      311

Bone Form      312

Free-form…      313

Pointy Forms      314

Whale Disk      315

Ceramic Mask      316

Seal Disk      317

Maquette Trio      318

Cylinder with Holes      319

Tübingen Venus      320

Möbius Strip      321

Graspable Clam      322

Mrs. Mayo      323

Silver Torso      324

Sarasota Seashell Maquette      325

Sarasota Seashell      326

Cup with Eyes and Nose      327

Irina Portrait      328

A Wink and a Blink      329

Long Bird in Flight      330

Ruby at 2      331

Slab Sculpture 1      332

Slab Sculpture 2      333

Slab Sculpture 3      334

Self Portrait: Keynote      335

Nietzsche Mask      336

Einstein Mask      337

Female Torso      338

Chatham Sunbather      339

Sculpture with Grog      340

Pre-Columbian Jug with Faces      341

Pre-Columbian Jug 2: Olmec Head      342

Pre-Columbian Jug 3: Chilu Body      343

Pregnant Mayan      344

Nickerson Coin Obverse      345

Nickerson Coin Reverse      346

Aztec Mask      347

Origanali 1 Face      348

Origanali 2 Face with Hairdo      349

Origanali 3 Cylinder Figure      350

Pregnant Vera Cruz Girl with Necklace      351

Pre-Classic Guerrero Figure with Holes      352

Mexala Axe Figure      353

Triangle Head of Incense Burner      354

Primitive Flat Face from Guerrero      355

Large Veracruz Head      356

Nyarit Seated Man      357

Spiritual Jade      358

Ora Hopi Spiral      359

Bonsai Sloped Pot      360

Mask: Ruby 2.5      361

Skeletal Sculpture      362

Quick Grasp for Space      363

Mask: Ora Asleep - 14 days old      364

Mask: Ora Awake! - 18 days old      365

Negative Structure      366

Torso of Tony      367

Cast of Ora Asleep      368

Plaster Cubic Space      369

Cast of Ruby      370

Cast of Ora Awake      371

Chatham Walker      372

Study of Giacometti Head      373

Study of Giacometti Torso      374

Study of Giacometti Spoon Woman      375

Study of Giacometti Couple      376

Study of Giacometti Tall Figure      377

Study of Giacometti Composition Cubiste      378

Cast of Giacometti Head      379

Cast of Giacometti Torso      380

Cast of Giacometti Couple      381

Cast of Giacometti Tall Figure      382

Red Tall Figure      383

Seated Figure      384

Study of Degas’ Little Dancer      385

Portrait of Giacometti      386

Atomic Joint      387

Reclining Figure of Suzanne      388

Headboard with Waves      389

Cast of Pregnant Mayan      390

Cast of Torso of Tony      391

Cast of Portrait of Giacometti      392

Cold Cast of Portrait of Giacometti      393

Maquette from Heppenworth Sculpture      394

Torso of Nicole      395

Torso of Irina      396

Selfie #1……………….      397

Sunbathing on Ridgevale Beach      398

Survivors of the Current Extinction      399

Cycladic Head      400

Cycladic Figure      401

Study of Giacometti’s Figure      402

Klein Bottle      403

Bite of the Apple      404

Venus of Willendorf      405

Selfie #2: Wink      406

Selfie 3: Eyes Open      407

Karl Marx      408

Venus of Laussel Relief #1      409

Selfie #4: Grin      410

Selfie #5…      411

Athena…      412

Larger Cycladic Figure      413

Reclining Figure of Nicole      414

Selfie #6…      415

Selfie #7: At Rusty’s Wedding      416

Selfie #8: Smiling      417

Joshua Mayo      418

William Nickerson      419

Maquette for Sea Goddess      420

Sea Goddess of the Cape      421

Maquette for Reclining Figure: Holes      422

Maquette of Small Female Form      423

Interlocking Forms      424

Maquette for Cherry Stump #1      425

Maquette for Osprey Totem      426

Maquette for Reclining Figure: Structure      427

Hinged Forms      428

Return of the Osprey      429

Nickerson Coin Obverse bronze cold cast      430

Nickerson Coin Reverse bronze cold cast      431

William Nickerson bronze cold cast      432

Josiah Mayo bronze cold cast      433

Selfie #2: Wink bronze cold cast      434

Larger Cycladic Figure bronze cold cast      435

Athena bronze cold cast      436

Venus of Laussel Relief #2      437

Maquette for Angel of Progress      438

Angel of Progress      439

Maquette for Cherry Stump #2      440

Venus of Willendorf #2      441

Wood Carver Torso      442

Maquette for Cherry Stump #3      443

Maquette for Cherry Stump #4      444

Saddle Curve      445

Maquette for Deixis      446

Deixis……      447

Tall Man      448

Finger Bowl      449

Maquette for Posture      450

Maquette for Oak Stump #1      451

Maquette for Oak Stump #2      452

Pod……      453

Casts of Wood Carver Torso      454

Casts of Tall Man      455

Maquette for Holly Log      456

Reclining Man: Holes      457

Structure Maquette for Thin Cedar Log      458

3-Tiered Tower #1 Maquette      459

3-Tiered Tower #2 Maquette      461

3-Tiered Tower Maquette #3      463

3-Tiered Tower      464

Tier #1 of 3-Tiered Tower      465

Tier #2 of 3-Tiered Tower      466

Tier #3 of 3-Tiered Tower      467

Globe Structure Maquette      468

Globe Structure      469

Cedar Man      470

Honey Drip      471

Torso of Adam      472

Torso from Sculpting Book      473

Upper Legs of Sekaa      474

Six-piece Construction      475

Beehive Construction      476

Vertebrae after Moore      477

Vertebrae Construction      478

Maquette for Five-Part Con-Structure      479

Torso of Susanna      481

Sakaa on Knee      482

Venus of New Avdeevo      483

Venus of Ostrava      484

Structure #4      485

Folded Structure      486

Venus of Dolni Vestonice      487

Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man      488

Nike – Winged Victory      489

Cycladic Man      490

Cycladic Woman      491

Mask of Ora at 3      492

Bird in Space      493

Small Cave      494

Marney Reclining      495

Eyes Opened Up      496

Bone Heap      497

Cherry Twist      498

Con-Struction      499

Tupelo Honey      501

Purple Heart Flame      502

Two-piece Tree Structure Maquette      503

Tubular Maquette      504

Circulator Maquette      505

Entwined Maquette      506

Entwined……      507

Entwined #2      508

Driftwood……      509

Portrait of Gerry at 79      510

Portrait of Carol in Brown Clay      511

Colorado Blue Eyes      512

Cave Structure      513

Tower……      514

Notes and Comments      516

1. Sculpture: 3-D Form from Wood

I began exploring wood sculpture in the mid-1970s. Wood sculptures continued to be my most important sculptural works throughout my life. Here are two large pieces from 2020:

Angel of Progress and Return of the Osprey.

Following are my wood sculptures in chronological order.

Gelassenheit (1976)

Gelassenheit (Let it be). Black walnut. Pine Run, New Jersey. 1976. Influenced by Heidegger’s ontology of unfolding beings, I let the character of the log lead me to bring out the beauty of its colorful grain and core. I tried to form interesting sweeping shapes that portray and enhance the strength and solidity of the log’s