Exhibiting Artists:
I have always been interested in the relationship between natural phenomena and manufactured environments. My background as an automotive restorer has informed my approach to sculpting. Industrial objects (scrap metal,raw steel and aluminum, fiberglass, car parts, paint, machines) have been the building blocks in my work for the past 40 years.
I begin a sculpture by exploring the formal qualities in these objects. By working with materials whose original purpose was not for sculpture, I re-define their function and celebrate the beauty of their form. My process parallels that of nature: I erode surfaces, twist shapes, pour heavy paint and weld pieces together until something fresh and surprising emerges.
I fuse the narrative elements inherent in the different materials I use. I let the materials tell their own story, and use them in such a way as to tell mine. Each distinct material contributes to the form, weight and tension of the completed sculpture.
As a musician, I’ve learned that a performer responds to the unique energy of a particular time and place. By interacting with new materials and configurations each day, I incorporate spontaneity and improvisation into my creative process. Playing with material, form, color and shape allows me to combine unexpected variables. I approach sculpting like a jazz musician at an impromptu jam session -- after years of rehearsal, I jump in and let the work develop.
Jim Felice
