David Carlin

b. 1944, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2009        Los Angeles Art Show, represented by del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2008        David Carlin: Short Stories from a Sharp Edge, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
                Collectors of Wood Art Forum, Scottsdale, AZ
2005-08   Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Exposition, New York, NY
2005-08   Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Exposition, Chicago, IL
2002-08   Turned Wood - Small Treasures, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2006        Collectors of Wood Art Forum, Philadelphia, PA
2002-03   Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art Exposition, Chicago, IL
2001       Contemporary Netsuke: The Kinsey Collection, Chica City Museum of Art, Japan
                International Netsuke Society Convention, Boston, MA
1999        The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
                International Netsuke Society Convention, Chicago, IL
                Mishima Taisha Museum, Shizuoka, Japan
1998       Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN
1997       Salt and Tobacco Museum, Japan
                Museum of East Asian Art, Berlin
                Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, CA
                International Netsuke Society Convention, Hawaii
1995       International Netsuke Society Convention, New York, NY
1994       Netsuke Exhibit, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
                Netsuke Exhibit, British National Museum
1993       International Netsuke Society Convention, Chicago, IL
1991       International Netsuke Society Convention, San Francisco, CA

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

2003        Wood Art Today: Furniture, Vessels, Sculpture. Meilach, Dona. Schiffer Publications,
                                Westchester, PA.

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

The series of sculptures shown here represent a culmination of over 40 years of evolving ideas. Carried by inspiration and driven by my commitment to the demands of the medium, this body of work follows a narrow path yet spans a large scope; a wide array of subject matter that resonates with any culture or generation.

Stories are the main source of my influence. They often surface within my awareness through daily experiences. I have explored subjects pertaining to the origins of religion, Cowboys and Indians, music, lines of humor, politics, humanity and the natural world, just to name a few. Witnessing a simple occurrence in life often translates into the way these stories will manifest themselves within a miniature and compact format of my sculpture.

My medium, boxwood, is a very close-grained hardwood. It is grown for the exclusive purpose of carving, and the color I add takes well to the wood in a palette of hues. Color is the final component to the work, and only arrives on the scene in the final hours. It is an integral component to completing the story. To a degree, I can see the form before it is carved in the rough block of wood. The inconsistency of the medium however, forces adaptations along the way but does not change the story being told from the beginning.

A finished work is a culmination of inspiration married with dedication and skill. Inspiration is vital in getting the most out of the artist during the long hours spent questioning the idea and composition. The commitment to the piece and the integrity of the execution follow, demanding a never-ending quest for improvement. Nevertheless, inspiration is hard to come across, and commitment to an idea is rare. Ultimately, scaling these obstacles leads to an object able to tell a story of its own.