Gulliver

Gulliver

Holzapfel, Michelle, 1951-

MH_068

2003

A tableau of assembled forms. Turned and carved pitcher with carved handle and epoxy 'liquid'. Base comprised of three pieces carved into book form: American walnut, basswood and cherry. Pyrography. Pages are bleached. Hand braided cotton lashing. Watco and Minwax oil finish.

Gulliver was made just before taking a sabbatical in 2004. I felt a pinch from my representing galleries to repeat successful (i.e., purchased) pieces. Neither my raw materials, my personality, nor my aesthetic principles could accommodate this possibility.

The piece is a cryptic self-portrait in which the pitcher—my proxy—is making the best of a vexing situation, both lashed to and ‘studying’ the illustrations of “hand binding” knots adapted from The Ashley Book of Knots. The Ashley is a compendium of useful knots which I learned about from another book, The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx. I often find that one book leads to another.

Gulliver’s Travels was a book from my childhood, although I probably knew the Liliput story from cartoons or other popular adaptations. When I read it as an adult, I was thoroughly entertained by Swift’s wicked satire which had gone very far over my youthful head.

This piece allowed me to flex the full scope of my skills and imagination; the choreography of a tableau of turned form, carved books with textured covers, spines and Illustrations adapted from Ashley. It hints at possible narratives, but invites the viewer to make up a story.

Sugar maple. American Walnut, Cherry, Basswood. 10 x 14 x 17 inches.

Turning (Lathe work)

Wood sculpture, American

Women and the decorative arts

Carving (Decorative arts)

Women artists--United States

Art woodwork

Decoration and ornament--Trompe l'oeil

Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745. Gulliver's travels.

Books in art

Ashley, Clifford W. (Clifford Warren), 1881-1947

Holzapfel, Michelle, 1951-

Studio Wood Art

2003

Copyright © 2019 by Michelle Holzapfel
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MH_ 293 Artist’s Statement for “In the Shape of a Vessel” 2003

MH_309 Artist’s Statement/Inventory for Solo Show “Michelle Holzapfel” 2004

MH_ 295 2014 Artist’s Statement/Inventory for Solo Show “From What’s at Hand”

MH_313 2016 Artist’s Statement/Inventory for exhibit “Passagi”

"The Ashley Book of Knots" Ashley, Clifford W. 1944.

"Gulliver's Travels". Swift, Jonathan, 1726.

wood

2003 Solo Show, “In the Shape of a Vessel” at Barry Friedman Gallery, New York, NY

2004 Solo Show, "Michelle Holzapfel" at del mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2004 Solo Show “Full Circle” at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, VT

2008 group show “Over the Edge: Woodturning into Sculpture” Prichard Art Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID

2014 Solo Show, “From What’s at Hand” at the Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA. Part of 3-part exhibit, “The Stories We Tell”

2016 Exhibit, with David Holzapfel, “Passagi” at Mitchell-Gidding Fine Arts Gallery, Brattleboro, VT.

2017 Craft in America exhibit "Nature: Highlights from the Episode" @ Freehand Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. Resulted in contact from Cynthia Sears for Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.

Holzapfel, Michelle, 1951-
Collection of Cynthia Sears. Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, WA.