The Long Beach Museum Explores Contemporary Turned Wood Sculpture

Guest-curated by decorative arts specialist Kevin Wallace, “Into the Woods” is the Long Beach Museum of Art’s first major exploration of contemporary turned wood sculpture in more than 30 years

The exhibition, which runs through August 15, showcases works by many of the most significant leaders in the contemporary wood field, including early innovators such as James Prestini and Bob Stocksdale, and contemporary artists including Ray Allen, Dorothy Gill Barnes, Derek Bencomo, Trent Bosch, Anthony Bryant, Christian Burchard, Christopher Cantwell, Barbara Cooper, Frank E. Cummings III, John Davis, David Ellsworth, Ron Fleming, David Groth, Michelle Holzapfel, Robyn Horn, Todd Hoyer, William Hunter, Arthur Jones, Ron Kent, Gyongy Laky, Stoney Lamar, Po Shun Leong, Mark Lindquist, Terry Martin, Rude Osolnik, Nikolai Ossipov, Jim Partridge, Michael Peterson, Binh Pho, Gene Pozzesi, Richard Raffan, Melvin Schuler, Mike Shuler, Al Sils, Al Stirt, Gordon Wagner and Hans Weissflog.

This unique installation underscores rich interconnections between two- and three-dimensional forms by showing contemporary wood sculpture and functional objects beside paintings and drawings from the museum’s permanent collection by artists such as George Henry Melcher, Helen Lundeberg, Dorr Bothwell, Frode Dann and others. Wallace has written extensively on the subject of turned wood. He is a regular contributor to a number of publications that specialize in contemporary craft art, including American Style, Craft Arts International, Woodturning, Woodwork and Turning Points.

The Long Beach Museum of Art is at 2300 Ocean Boulevard. For information, 562-439-2119 or www.lbma.org.