Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 2014)
P R IN T : Arts & Culture Wednesday,January22,2014 « 3 Artist brings Kentucky inspiration to campus Erin Carey Arts & Cufture Editor There’s something new in Niemeyer’s Alexander Gallery, by the name o f “Solitary Gestures.” * < In a series o f works by sculptor Christopher B. Wagner, these pieces are living up to their.title. They aren’t massive works of granite and marble, but a different template fig unique sculptures of reclaimed lumber, Douglas.fir, milk paint (an envi ronmentally, friendly „paint often used for antiques) and the most interesting of all, pig intestines. “We had a great turnout to [Wagner’s] reception, around 150 students and faculty,” said K ate, Simmons, Clackamas Community C ollege’s gab lery director. “Multiple classes heard Wagner speak, and stu dents were very responsive.” “Solitary Gestures” aren’t pieces that are meant to disturb those who are looking at them, but instead, introduce solidity. Walking through these pieces, there’s a sense of loneliness — simple and worn away paint and long limbs stretching for some thing. Wagner used the sim plest materials for pieces that seem simple themselves, but are decidedly more interesting. Wagner youth in rural Kentucky inspired the materials he uses. “I grew up on a family farm, so we had an old bam as. an out building on the farm that had since been replaced, but the old building was falling down,” Wagner said. “So there were all these old big dak beams that I could have access to<and cut them down.” He also found inspiration in Kentucky’s religious practices. “Most of m y inspiration origi nated from my upbringing,” he said, “I grew up on a farm in Kentucky, I grew up extremely conservative in a religious back ground and I didn’t have much exposure to fine art growing up, so most o f my influences have been rural and almost primitive in nature.” Furthering his use o f materi als that others would choose to throw away, Wagner also has a huge part in Glean, a project in Portland aiming to bring local artists and Metro, the regional government that helps run gar bage Collection and recycling in the area. Wagner emphasizes that he has a passion for using materials others wouldn’t take a second look at, especially wood and paint. “I kind of fell in love with working with old materb als, they had such a history and character to them. I’ve bought new wood at times but I ’VC always been disappointed by it, just because it didn’t have the character,” Wagner said. “Nothing is better than hav ing an unexpected nail hole or knot in a piece o f wood that you weren’t planning for that you just have to work the piece around, and the character '.that the wood is. already bringing to the piece.” * “Solitary Gestures” is an exploration into the mind o f a man that not only loves what he does, but creates art that many can relate to. He uses unique mediums for his work, and it shows by how much care he puts into creating each piece, the biggest one o f the exhibit taking around 40 - 50 hours of work. More o f Wagner’s work can be found at the Guardino- Gallery oir Alberta St. in Portland, along with CCG’s Alexander Gallery open Jan. 13 to Feb. 6, Monday - Friday at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I ■ ■ i gl r ! gf ' (A M ■ BACHELOR'S IN BUSINESS: HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION - Finish in as little as 2 years with transfer credit - Entirely online, C hrist-centered classes - iPad provided, pre-loaded with major Course material and text books Have an interesting question for things around That?” column! Please email newscdft)clackamas. campus? Let us investigate cdu. in our "W hat's Un .With . WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY ^V A N C O U V E R LEARN MORE 1-8O O -764-1383 OR GO.CORBAN.EDU/CP C O R B A N ALL YOU CAM EAT SPAGHETTI MOMDAYS! TACO TUESDAYS! ALL YOU CAM EAT ÇÂÏEt>H TB5BSBÄYS! ANO MUCH MONO! $5 OFF 21850 SOUTH BEAVERCREEK RB. BEAVERCREEK, OR 97004 Learn about » Academic programs • Application process • Paying for college • Campus life 08LY 5 MIHBTES EHOM CAMP0S1 Find agenda, directions and RSVP today vancou ver.wsu .e d u / preview
