BGuthrie Photos: VA -- Winchester -- Museum of the Shenandoah Valley -- Exhibit: MSV Invitational Outdoor Sculpture Show

VA -- Winchester -- Museum of the Shenandoah Valley -- Exhibit: MSV Invitational Outdoor Sculpture Show:

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Description of Pictures: MSV Invitational Outdoor Sculpture Show
THROUGH Oct 31 2021
Discover new works of contemporary sculpture in an enchanting setting. See metal and stone transformed into imaginative works of art. Contemplate modern design in the Rose Garden. Marvel at copper reptiles by the Tea House. Fantastic figures await you!
On view in the Museum's seven-acre formal gardens now through October 31, 2021, the MSV Invitational Outdoor Sculpture Show presents installations by regional sculptors Paul Clevenger, Robert Griffith, Dan Houston, Richard Lew, Sally Myers, Kris Viemeister, and Andy White.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. MSVINV_210715_004.JPG: Merry Tricksters, 2021 Sally Myers (b. 1948) Steel Plants and animals, folk art, and African art all inspire Sally Myers. In this sculpture, Myers incorporated the notion of the trickster, a character that uses its intelligence or secret knowledge to play tricks on others. Various cultures personify tricksters as animals. Here, the tricksters are crows and blue-tailed skinks, small lizards that perch on or slither around the sculpture's circular structure. The artist based the form of her sculpture on the staffs used by diviners among the Yoruba people of western Africa. These staffs usually have horizontal metal rings surmounted by birds, traditional communicators between the earthly and spirit realms. Here Myers added her impression of an alighting flock of crows. While diviners may use their staffs to control and direct dangerous spirits, Myers's sculpture embodies her joyful relationship with nature and the spirit of natural, uninhabited places. To create this sculpture, Myers cut steel in the shapes of birds. To form the wings, she heated additional steel shapes in a forge, bent them, and welded them to the bird silhouettes. The high temperatures used in welding melt the pieces together, which then fuse as they cool. Using a power hammer, she also hammered steel rods to form the "spokes," heating and curling them around the upright pole and the horizontal metal circle. Additional hammered steel rods form the lizards, also welded to the circle. Of this process Myers notes, "As I heat and bend the steel, I know that after it cools, it will retain what I think of as the memory of the time it was heated and was able to bend easily."
2. MSVINV_210715_014.JPG: Star Ball, about 2000 Kris Viemeister (b. 1949) Steel, pine Presented by MSV Partner Mind & Media Inc. Kris Viemeister's Star Globe began its life in a scrap heap. The stars were the biproduct of a metal screen he made for a restaurant interior. To make the screen, he'd cut star shapes out of a sheet of steel using an electric torch. Looking for a use for the scrap stars, he wondered if he could weld them together to create a sphere. He heated each star in a forge and "dished" it by hammering the heated metal inside a subtle bow! shape carved into the end of a log. He then welded the stars together to form the Star Ball. To support the ball, he utilized a tripod shape he'd designed previously as the base for a table. The three sections of the carved pine base you see here are hinged together.
3. MSVINV_210715_024.JPG: Ferroglyphs, 2017-2021 Dan Houston (b. 1938) Steel Private Collection Presented by MSV Partner Lantz Construction Winchester Dan Houston's original inspiration for these forms were the ancient petroglyphs of Maine that he discovered in a book on the subject. As a former architect interested in drawing, Houston was intrigued by the idea of "drawing" in ferrous metal (metal with some iron content, such as steel) the way the makers of the petroglyphs had "drawn" in the stone. Other forms arose to serve a pragmatic purpose. Houston initially designed several of these sculptures as bird feeders for his wooded back yard. The "cups" on those sculptures are intended to hold bird seed. Houston crafted the inverted cone forms to keep squirrels from climbing the feeders. Each of the works incorporates snakes, an animal he uses because of its innately serpentine and twisting form. To make these works, Houston heats steel (often in the form of rods) in a forge at 1800 degrees, then strikes it with a hammer against an anvil. The tops to the bird feeder sculptures are all hand-hammered. He also lets his power hammer do some of the work, as with the shaping of the poles supporting the feeders. Once he has the various hand-hammered parts completed, he joins them by welding. He also uses saws to achieve the more angular, geometric shapes visible in the two standing figures.
4. MSVINV_210715_029.JPG: Ferroglyphs, 2017-2021 Dan Houston (b. 1938) Steel Private Collection Presented by MSV Partner Lantz Construction Winchester Dan Houston's original inspiration for these forms were the ancient petroglyphs of Maine that he discovered in a book on the subject. As a former architect interested in drawing, Houston was intrigued by the idea of "drawing" in ferrous metal (metal with some iron content, such as steel) the way the makers of the petroglyphs had "drawn" in the stone. Other forms arose to serve a pragmatic purpose. Houston initially designed several of these sculptures as bird feeders for his wooded back yard. The "cups" on those sculptures are intended to hold bird seed. Houston crafted the inverted cone forms to keep squirrels from climbing the feeders. Each of the works incorporates snakes, an animal he uses because of its innately serpentine and twisting form. To make these works, Houston heats steel (often in the form of rods) in a forge at 1800 degrees, then strikes it with a hammer against an anvil. The tops to the bird feeder sculptures are all hand-hammered. He also lets his power hammer do some of the work, as with the shaping of the poles supporting the feeders. Once he has the various hand-hammered parts completed, he joins them by welding. He also uses saws to achieve the more angular, geometric shapes visible in the two standing figures.
5. MSVINV_210715_032.JPG: Brownian Motion, 2021 Andrew White (b. 1981) Steel Presented by MSV Partner Malloy Toyota Andrew White conceived of a sculpture inspired by the motion of rising smoke, dust carried by wind, and petals falling from flowering trees. These movements are related to the concept of Brownian motion. Named for the Scottish botanist Robert Brown, Brownian motion is the random motion of particles suspended in a medium. Trained in European blacksmithing and metal working techniques, White has designed and created numerous staircases and balconies for interiors. Like the fluid shapes he makes for those settings, White wanted to make a piece that had no front or back and whose lines would encourage viewers to explore it from all sides. Although it appears to be one continuous strip of metal, White's sculpture is actually constructed from dozens of pieces of steel. He first cut each piece and heated it in a forge. To bend, twist, and shape it, or "dance with it," as the artist says, he used a pinch roller, a machine that forms curves by pinching the metal between two rollers. He then fit and welded the curved shapes together so they would twist and flow into one another. Next, he sanded all the joints to disguise the seams. During the construction process, White welded metal upright rods to the sides to support the piece. These he cut off prior to completing it. Months ago, White visited the Gardens with a full-scale model to determine its ultimate location here in front of the Glen Burnie House. "Iron Andy," as he calls himself, also created the Seven Bends Bench in front of the MSV's new entrance on Amherst St.
6. MSVINV_210715_036.JPG: Flowers of the Valley, 2021 Paul Clevenger (b. 1967) Copper Presented by MSV Partner Crescent Cities Charities Inc.
7. MSVINV_210715_043.JPG: Copperhead, 2021 Paul Clevenger (b. 1967) Copper Presented by MSV Partner Four Winds Tree Experts, Inc. From an early age, Paul Clevenger helped his tinsmith father pound metal. This youthful experience and his love of nature inspire Clevenger's garden-themed, kinetic sculptures. In looking to decorate his own garden, Clevenger discovered that the ornaments available for purchase were all made of plastic. So he decided to make his own. Using materials mostly recycled from leftover components from job sites, or flea-market finds, this selftaught artist creates perfectly balanced sculptures that spin with the breeze. For him, the motion complements their intended garden settings. Clevenger's profession as an HVAC engineer informs his techniques. In his studio set up to afford a view of Massanutten Mountain, Clevenger cuts the individual copper shapes with a torch. He applies chemicals to color the copper. He then welds the shapes together. Bearings in the upright poles allow the sections to turn in the wind, creating the swarm of butterflies, spinning blooms, and the upright, slithering snake you see here.
8. MSVINV_210715_048.JPG: (Background) Hurricane Butterflies, 2021 Paul Clevenger (b. 1967) Copper Presented by MSV Partner Crescent Cities Charities Inc.
9. MSVINV_210715_057.JPG: Lizard and Snake, about 1990 if Kris Viemeister (b. 1949) Copper Presented by MSV Partner Yount, Hyde & Barbour Hugging the rocks just below the tea house in the Asian Garden are Kris Viemeister's creatures. Viemeister originally designed the copper lizard and snake to hang from the ceiling of a Texas-themed restaurant. In experimenting with ways to allow the animals to change their postures, the artist devised a method for creating these articulated beasts. After striking a shaped hammer on the underside of the metal to create the animals' textures, Viemeister shaped the metal into roughly cylindrical sections. He then assembled the snake and the legs and head of the lizard like a stove pipe. Each section is slightly tapered. One piece fits into the next and is joined to it with a copper pin, soldered on one end, allowing the attached pieces to move. Viemeister patinated (or colored) them with chemicals and time, turning the copper green in several places.
10. MSVINV_210715_067.JPG: Council I, 2021 Richard Lew (b. 1950) Steel, tile, cement, stone, paint, glass Presented by MSV Partner The George Washington Hotel
11. MSVINV_210715_071.JPG: Council III, 2021 Richard Lew (b. 1950) Steel, stone, copper, paint, glass Presented by MSV Partner The George Washington Hotel During the pandemic, Richard Lew was determined not to purchase new materials. Instead, he relied more than ever on things sitting around in his studio, leftover from other projects. These items included the cast iron column that forms the lower half of Council III, and the spring that supports Council I, Salvaged objects like these both inspire the sculptures and fulfill Lew's ideas, sometimes worked out in small maquettes (or models). The spring shape included in some of the works also carries meaning. It refers to the season of rebirth and to the notion of springing forward. For Lew, each piece is a new journey, or pilgrimage. Each sculpture is a remnant of that sojourn. The journey and resulting works are informed by Lew's background providing custom components for contemporary homes, restaurants, and nightclubs, as well his experience teaching stone carving at the University of Maryland. Lew's sculptures often combine steel and stone. He carves the limestone using a power drill or a hammer drill (like a little jack hammer), allowing the drill marks to remain. He then paints the limestone to enhance its brightness and frosts it with powdered glass. He joins the stone and metal with pins or rods, and fuses the metal components by welding them together. Some of these sculptures are intended to wiggle slightly in the wind.
12. MSVINV_210715_076.JPG: Council II, 2021 Richard Lew (b. 1950) Steel, stone, copper, paint, glass Presented by MSV Partner The George Washington Hotel
13. MSVINV_210715_081.JPG: Bird Bath, 2021 Richard Lew (b. 1950) Steel, stone, water Presented by MSV Partner Blauch Brothers, Inc.
14. MSVINV_210715_095.JPG: Patterns, 2020-21 Robert Griffith (b. 1950) Copper, concrete Gift of John, Chris, and Katy Perticone and Kent Harris in memory of Merry Harris Presented by MSV Partner 105 WINC.FM Robert Griffith's Patterns was inspired by a request to create a sculpture for a community garden in Binghamton, New York. Binghamton community leader Merry Harris was passionately dedicated to the garden. When she passed away, her husband approached Griffith about creating a sculpture in her honor. Griffith decided to make an edition of five similar sculptures to be distributed to various locations. Having worked as an advisor on the MSV's Second Time Around exhibition in 2014, Griffith approached the Museum about placing one of the five sculptures in the MSV Gardens. On the base is a phrase dear to Ms. Harris: "patterns that imply the underlying unity of existence." In a year of political upheaval and a pandemic, "unity" as a theme appealed to Griffith. Beginning his career as a practicing blacksmith, Griffith utilized multiple metal working techniques to complete the sculpture. On the base, he used a hammer and punches in a process called "chasing" to highlight Ms. Harris's words. The artist created the inverted cone shape above that by turning the metal on a lathe. To create the vine-like forms encircling the base, Griffith hammered half-inch copper rods. He engraved the leafy lines on the upright pole using a grinder. Within the circular section near the top, Griffith placed leaves he hand-hammered, honoring the blacksmithing tradition. Braided and twisted electrician's ground wire twines around the circular opening and nestles between the two wing-like shapes at the top. To create the rounded "wings," he hammered the metal into molds. He then soldered, riveted, or welded the parts together to create this piece he intended for a garden setting.
15. MSVINV_210716_01.JPG: Invitational Outdoor Sculpture Show Beyond these stone walls, you will discover new works of contemporary sculpture in an enchanting setting. See metal and stone transformed into imaginative works of art. Contemplate modern design in the Rose Garden. Marvel at copper reptiles by the Tea House. Fantastic figures await you! On display through October 31, the MSV Invitational Outdoor Sculpture Show presents installations of works by regional sculptors Paul Clevenger, Robert Griffith, Dan Houston, Richard Lew, Sally Myers, Kris Viemeister, and Andrew White. While you're here, be sure to explore the Valley's landscape, see art installations on The Trails at the MSV, and enjoy the exhibitions on view in the galleries building. Presented with the generous support of Malloy Toyota
16. MSVINV_210716_46.JPG: Hurricane Butterflies, 2021 Paul Clevenger (b. 1967) Copper Presented by MSV Partner Crescent Cities Charities Inc.
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Wikipedia Description: Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley is located at 901 Amherst Street, Winchester, Virginia. The Museum endeavours to preserve and enrich the cultural life and heritage of the Valley. Located on the largest green space in the city of Winchester, the MSV is a regional cultural center including a museum designed by Driehaus Prize winner Michael Graves, seven acres of formal gardens, and the Glen Burnie House dating to the 18th century.

The MSV complex consists of three main components:

House

The Glen Burnie Historic House traces its history to surveyor James Wood (?-1759), who settled this land in the early 18th century and donated portions of his land to establish the city of Winchester, Virginia in 1744. His son Robert Wood constructed the central portion of the Glen Burnie Historic House in the 1790s. The house’s ownership passed through several generations of Wood and then Glass families until Julian Wood Glass Jr. (1910–1992), acquired it in 1955. Julian Wood Glass Jr. was the last descendant of James Wood to own the Glen Burnie Historic House.

Beginning in 1959, and aided by his partner R. Lee Taylor, Glass transformed the house into a country estate, and the couple designed the Glen Burnie Gardens. Glass created the Glass-Glen Burnie Foundation prior to his death in 1992, and entrusted the Foundation to open the site to the public as a museum. The Glen Burnie Historic House & Gardens opened to the public in 1998.

Today, interpretive panels tell the story of those who lived in the house from 1796 to 1992 and exhibitions are presented annually in the Drawing Room.

The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.

Gardens

The gardens surrounding the Glen Burnie Historic House were created beginning in 1956 and evolved over the latter half of the 20th century. Built for formal entertaining, the gardens include sculpture, fountains, and folly buildings. Highlights include rose, statue, vegetable, Asian, and perennial gardens. The pond in the Water Garden is stocked with golden trout.

Museum

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley was designed by architect Michael Graves and opened to the public in 2005. The Museum contains four main galleries:

Shenandoah Valley Gallery

The broad sweep of Valley prehistory and history is explored in the museum's large Shenandoah Valley Gallery. A number of different exhibition techniques are used here, including multi-media presentations, interactive elements, images, maps, dioramas, and display of decorative arts. Objects on display include furniture, fraktur, silver and other metals, baskets, textiles, paintings, folk art, long rifles, and ceramics, for which the Valley is famous.

Founders Gallery

Presents changing exhibitions including, or relating to, the private collection of MSV benefactor, Julian Wood Glass Jr.

R. Lee Taylor Miniatures Gallery

This gallery presents an outstanding collection of furnished miniature houses and rooms by R. Lee Taylor (1924–2000), who lived at Glen Burnie from the late 1950s until his death. At the time of his death, Taylor had assembled fourteen completely furnished rooms and houses. On display are five houses and four rooms by R. Lee Taylor showcasing the work of more than seventy-five miniatures artisans. Also on display are four shadowboxes by the late Valley miniatures artist William P. Massey, who created his work between the 1930s to 1940s.

Changing Exhibitions Gallery
Several temporary exhibitions are presented throughout the year.
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