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I have always thought of wood as beautiful and unique. I have worked with wood for years, but my artistic work really started ten years ago when I moved to North Carolina and then retired. My work specializes in nautical, nature and animal. I create custom art including:
All of my work starts with an idea and as a first step I create an original full-size drawing using pencil. This first step goes back to my early days as a design draftsman and technical illustrator when paper, pencil, and pen and ink were only used! I then select types of wood for their various colors, textures, and grain to give life to each piece. I do not use stain but rely on each type of wood to add its own splash of color. Some of my favorite pieces of wood have a “raw edge” and/or bark. These add details for vegetation and landscapes. I also look for distinctive grain lines to flow with the subject, such as gills on a swordfish, strings of a violin or bark on a tree. Sometimes things change from the original drawing, when choosing the wood for making each piece. I may find a piece of wood that lends itself to better represent part of the scene or piece by adding more texture, color or depth, especially since I make all my pieces to appear 3D and not look flat. For some of the smaller pieces I make templates from the drawing. I never strive to exactly replicate nature and animals but use my imagination to create an interpretation. I find it challenging and fulfilling drawing, then cutting, shaping, sanding and assembling the many wood pieces used to bring the work to life. My most recent works are seahorses. I find them to be beautiful, and when I find pieces of wood, I picture what each seahorse will look like. No two are alike in size, shape or personality. I also like to use scrap wood to create cribbage boards, as well as functional art, such as coat racks. These always have a nautical theme including fish, diving helmets and lighthouses. In the end, when I am applying the clear finish, I thoroughly enjoy seeing all the different grains and textures light up to complete the finished work of art. I would love to create your unique piece of art. Contact Gary at 651-335-7126 or garymlynek@gmail.com |
View Gary's complete statement here.
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