Things has manifested as an ever growing collection of works, nicknamed Lignum Novis which roughly translates to unique or odd wood. Each piece, though presented in the same Cherry framed format, is a combination of exploration, adaptation, simple surprise and adoration of the characteristics of wood. Through framing, curious moments of arboreal happenstance are set apart. Whether it is painstakingly carving a rounded band out of a single block of Cherry, finding pleasing shape and design in lightning struck Poplar or simply being awed by the traces of new limb growth left encased in the grain of an old Chestnut Oak, each piece has both been found and found me.
THINGS 7
$750
12" W x 12" H x 2 3/4" D
Cherry
Comprised entirely of Cherry knots, this collage is as much an exploration of tension and shape as it is a configuration of undesirables, those things too often deemed as defects by lumber graders and consumers alike. The depth, shape, hue and uniqueness of each knot demands to be appreciated in-and-of itself.
The sculpture is mounted to the artist-made Cherry frame and set off against a background of deep, matte black paint. To date, seven Things have been created by Michael; see all the series pieces below.
