Rock Solid
SPA’s annual stone-carving show ‘like a family reunion’
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“Protection” (top), Westerly granite, by Giuliano Cecchinelli of Barre; “”Motherhood ‘Samedays’,” Barre granite, by 3-year-old granddaughter of Barre. Roger Crowley/Times Argus |
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By Jim Lowe Times Argus Staff - Published: October 2, 2009
Studio Place Arts' annual stone carving show is an intimate affair, with all its local, professional and family connections. This year, there are contributions from three generations of one Barre family of sculptors.
"This couldn't happen in Philadelphia," explained Sue Higby, SPA's director. "This is on a different scale – it's like a family reunion."
Studio Place Arts is presenting "Rock Solid," its ninth annual exhibit exploring the art of stone, through Nov. 7 at its main gallery at 201 N. Main St. in Barre. Also on exhibit are paintings and drawings by Lauren Bulakowski (third floor) and "Nature under Construction," assemblages, sculptures and paintings by Jeanne Bisson, both up through Nov. 7.
"This annual show exhibits the work of two main communities of stone carvers," Higby said. "One is, of course, our home community here in the Barre area, and the other community is Rutland area. Both involve a number of outstanding talented artists who have very solitary studios. This is actually a celebration, in many respects, that we have the stone-carving tradition here in Vermont."
In addition to the myriad stone sculptures, there are half a dozen or so paintings on the main gallery's walls.
"The paintings, and also the sketches for the slate carvings, are an add-on that I chose to make about six years ago to this show," Higby said. "I felt that it helped create a more interesting textural weightedness to the room."
Stone by its basic quality can seem to be cold.
"I added paintings to warm up the space and I think it does a very nice job of luring people to not just look at the exquisite sculptures, but to experience stone in all its many beautiful qualities," Higby said.
She pointed to a series bas relief slate carvings on one wall, "The Wedlock Series," by Kerry O. Furlani of Rutland.
"She included four artists' sketches for these relief carvings – and they're spectacular," Higby said.
This year's exhibit involves a variety of stones, a variety of carving methods, figurative as well as abstracted, and mixed-media. In addition, it includes a number of different studios from around Barre and around the West Rutland area.
Three generations of Barre's Cecchinelli family are represented in this show.
"Giuliano Cecchinelli created a bas relief carving," Higby said. "His granddaughter Isabella, who is only 3 years old, created a beautiful little maquette out of Play-Doh. When she shared it with her grandfather, he carved it for her out of Barre gray."
Giuliano Cecchinelli II, Isabella's father, created a piece that's across the room, a romantic piece, a tree with a heart carved on it, "A Day in the Life of a Tree."
"Giuliano senior was a Carrara, Italy-trained carver, and his son, young Giuliano, worked with him for many years," Higby said. "I am very pleased that Isabella is carrying on the family torch."
This year includes a number of figure studies, some very realistic, others more abstract. South Barre sculptor George Kujanowicz' Dakota mahogany granite "Figuratively Speaking" is one of the more abstract pieces.
"This is all about gesture, and it's really elegant," Higby said. "There are three different surfaces on the granite, and it creates this wonderful shadow and textural effect that I think is irresistible."
"Where to begin …," a pair of black granite figurines, a man and a woman, were created by Alan Frascoia of Barre, who carved with Kujanowicz' for five or six years, but entered medical school last year.
"While he was on summer break, he did this in about a month's time," Higby said. "It's a really poignant, personal sculpture that can be figured in any number of ways. I set it up this way to share the story of a couple that had reached an impasse, but you can easily play with these figures.
"I think it would be an ideal sculpture to have a counseling office so that a couple could come in and configure the pieces in the way they felt on that particular day," Higby said.
What creates makes exhibit fascinating is its variety of stone and carving styles, and also mixed media.
"You've got metal mixed in the exhibit, as well as having the color-weightedness of beautiful paintings," Higby said. "It's like having carvings up on the wall."