Two Person Show, Featuring
Dan Chen & William Pickerd
Dan Chen and William Pickerd come together for a collaborative show entitled "Nature's Bounty" on First Friday Art Hop and Art Walk, October 7th, 2011. The show opens at Mockingbird Gallery from 5 to 9 pm, and music will be provided by Rich Hurdle and Friends.
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Dan Chen
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Dan Chen was born in China in the 1960's. His love of art began at age three while watching his father paint. In 1983, at age 20, he immigrated to San Francisco with his parents and two years later enrolled in San Francisco's Academy of Art College.
"Throughout my life, as I walked through my journey in art, it seems as though there was always someone there to teach, to guide, to share or to encourage me. I am grateful to all those people who have been in my life."
The well-known art of Dan Chen is a marriage of the finest qualities of eastern and western style and technique. Moving to the Pacific Northwest engendered in Dan a love of wildlife, and he depicts the indigenous creatures in his beautiful bronzes.
Dan uses either a wax or oil based sculpting medium depending on the size and complexity of the subject. He uses the "lost wax" casting method in combination with a method that uses a fine ceramic shell to ensure the finest detail. After casting, he applies his own patinas using various chemicals to give the pieces the desired color and texture.
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"Twin Fish - Steelheads" bronze ed. 24 by Dan Chen
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Please click HERE to see more works by Dan Chen on the Mockingbird Gallery website.  | |
William Pickerd
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For William Pickerd, life as a teacher, woodworker and artist were all a part of the metamorphosis of this woodworker-turned-stone artist. For a wood-working cabinet making teacher of 35 years preoccupied with the wood lathe, 'turning alabaster' has satisfied his need to create. William, who resides in Oregon's Willamette Valley, is truly a sculptor of stone, a "turner" who transforms chunks of alabaster into beautiful vessels. These bowls are exquisitely rimmed in exotic woods. "My vessel shapes, turned very thin, allow the stone to paint scenes of mystery and drama. I'm often asked why I chose to turn alabaster? Hold one of my bowls in your hands and feel its smoothness. Lift it so that the light coming through it lets you see the soul of the stone and your question will be answered." William orders hundreds of pounds of alabaster at a time from digs in Colorado, Southern Utah, Canada and even Volterra, Italy. "My alabaster comes in a wide range of colors, and can be found all over the world." His lathe is a Hegner VB 36 Master Bowlturner. At times, William has been known to collaborate with his good friend and fellow Willamette Valley sculptor, Dan Chen. Examples of their collaborative efforts are "Spring Song" and "Dream Weaver". The vessels consist of White Colorado Alabaster with bronze hummingbird finials. They will both be included in the October exhibit.  | |
"Le Bleu" 9 x 6 Italian Blue Alabaster with African Blackwood rim and base by William Pickerd
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Please click HERE to see more works by William Pickerd on the Mockingbird Gallery website. | 
