Pulled Apart

Description

Jason Russell began turning as a high school student. Over the years he has worked with some of the leading artists in the field, including artists in this exhibition, such as Michael Hosaluk and Terry Martin, whose influence can been seen in Russell’s work as well as his approach to woodworking. For instance, Pulled Apart features a bowl attached to a surrounding structure, as does Terry Martin’s Enclosed Vessel. Both works retain the utilitarian form of a vessel while adding a component of sculptural aesthetic. Likewise, Russell’s ambition is to strive always for new and better ways to work, a philosophy of woodworking that reflects Hosaluk’s belief in the constant development of new techniques.
While Russell’s art might draw its inspiration from other wood artists, his pieces are unique. Pulled Apart has a calm, balanced geometry that seems to defy gravity, and the striking shadows cast by the piece add intrigue and appear to be part of the composition itself.
from the exhibition Nature Transformed: Wood Art from the Bohlen Collection, June 12 – October 3, 2004